The Biodegradation of Trinitrotoluene by Individual and Mixed Alcaligenes Strains
Abstract
A three-phase experiment assessed the trinitrotoluene (TNT) degradation by Alcaligenes strains isolated from a TNT contaminated soil sample. The purpose of the experiment was to show that Alcaligenes bacteria can degrade TNT and that a mixed population of Alcaligenes strains would degrade TNT to a greater extent than individual strains. The individual strains performed considerable reduction of soluble TNT, including strain 115 which decreased the TNT concentration from 70 mg/L to 1.4 mg/L. To identify a strain that would enhance TNT degradation when combined with 115, each remaining strain was fed the supernatant from a 48-hour degradation experiment using 115. 119 was chosen from this sequential feeding based on its performance on TNT and formation of metabolites. The mixed population of strains 115 and 119 was expected to perform better than the individual strains because of cometabolism. The mixtures, however, did not show increased TNT reduction.
Description
Program year: 1996/1997Digitized from print original stored in HDR
Citation
Wilson, Dolores M. (1994). The Biodegradation of Trinitrotoluene by Individual and Mixed Alcaligenes Strains. University Undergraduate Fellow. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /CAPSTONE -WilsonD _1994.