Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1993 Jun;59(6):1717–1724. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.6.1717-1724.1993

Selection of Xenobiotic-Degrading Microorganisms in a Biphasic Aqueous-Organic System

Miguel Ascon-Cabrera 1, Jean-Michel Lebeault 1,*
PMCID: PMC182150  PMID: 16348949

Abstract

Microbial selection on mixtures of chlorinated and nonchlorinated compounds that are poorly soluble in water and/or toxic to growing microbial cells was examined in both biphasic aqueous-organic and monophasic aqueous systems. A biphasic system in which silicone oil was used as the organic phase permitted the acceleration of acclimation, leading to rapid selection and to an increase in xenobiotic compound degradation. In contrast, acclimation, selection, and degradation were very slow in the monophasic aqueous system. The variation in microbial growth rate with the degree of dispersion (i.e., dispersion at different silicone oil concentrations and agitation rates), and cell adhesion to the silicone oil indicate that the performance of the biphasic aqueous-organic system is dependent on the interfacial area between the two phases and that microbial activity is important at this interface. Therefore, the biphasic water-silicone oil system could be used for microbial selection in the presence of xenobiotic compounds that are toxic and have low water solubility.

Full text

PDF
1724

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Aelion C. M., Swindoll C. M., Pfaender F. K. Adaptation to and biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds by microbial communities from a pristine aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Sep;53(9):2212–2217. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.9.2212-2217.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allison D. G., Brown M. R., Evans D. E., Gilbert P. Surface hydrophobicity and dispersal of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from biofilms. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1990 Sep 1;59(1-2):101–104. doi: 10.1016/0378-1097(90)90039-s. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cook A. M., Grossenbacher H., Hütter R. Isolation and cultivation of microbes with biodegradative potential. Experientia. 1983 Nov 15;39(11):1191–1198. doi: 10.1007/BF01990356. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Efroymson R. A., Alexander M. Biodegradation by an arthrobacter species of hydrocarbons partitioned into an organic solvent. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 May;57(5):1441–1447. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.5.1441-1447.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Haigler B. E., Nishino S. F., Spain J. C. Degradation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene by a Pseudomonas sp. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Feb;54(2):294–301. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.2.294-301.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hess T. F., Schmidt S. K., Silverstein J., Howe B. Supplemental substrate enhancement of 2,4-dinitrophenol mineralization by a bacterial consortium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jun;56(6):1551–1558. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.6.1551-1558.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lewis D. L., Kollig H. P., Hodson R. E. Nutrient limitation and adaptation of microbial populations to chemical transformations. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Mar;51(3):598–603. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.3.598-603.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Prokop A., Erickson L. E., Paredes-Lopez O. Growth models of cultures with two liquid phases. V. Substrate dissolved in dispersed phase--experimental observations. Biotechnol Bioeng. 1971 Mar;13(2):241–256. doi: 10.1002/bit.260130207. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Schraa G., Boone M. L., Jetten M. S., van Neerven A. R., Colberg P. J., Zehnder A. J. Degradation of 1,4-dichlorobenzene by Alcaligenes sp. strain A175. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Dec;52(6):1374–1381. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.6.1374-1381.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Spain J. C., Nishino S. F. Degradation of 1,4-dichlorobenzene by a Pseudomonas sp. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 May;53(5):1010–1019. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.5.1010-1019.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Swindoll C. M., Aelion C. M., Pfaender F. K. Influence of inorganic and organic nutrients on aerobic biodegradation and on the adaptation response of subsurface microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Jan;54(1):212–217. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.1.212-217.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Wiggins B. A., Jones S. H., Alexander M. Explanations for the acclimation period preceding the mineralization of organic chemicals in aquatic environments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Apr;53(4):791–796. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.4.791-796.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Wodzinski R. S., Larocca D. Bacterial growth kinetics on diphenylmethane and naphthalene-heptamethylnonane mixtures. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Mar;33(3):660–665. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.3.660-665.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES