Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1991 Jan;57(1):228–235. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.1.228-235.1991

Effects of toxicity, aeration, and reductant supply on trichloroethylene transformation by a mixed methanotrophic culture.

L Alvarez-Cohen 1, P L McCarty 1
PMCID: PMC182690  PMID: 2036009

Abstract

The trichloroethylene (TCE) transformation rate and capacity of a mixed methanotrophic culture at room temperature were measured to determine the effects of time without methane (resting), use of an alternative energy source (formate), aeration, and toxicity of TCE and its transformation products. The initial specific TCE transformation rate of resting cells was 0.6 mg of TCE per mg of cells per day, and they had a finite TCE transformation capacity of 0.036 mg of TCE per mg of cells. Formate addition resulted in increased initial specific TCE transformation rates (2.1 mg/mg of cells per day) and elevated transformation capacity (0.073 mg of TCE per mg of cells). Significant declines in methane conversion rates following exposure to TCE were observed for both resting and formate-fed cells, suggesting toxic effects caused by TCE or its transformation products. TCE transformation and methane consumption rates of resting cells decreased with time much more rapidly when cells were shaken and aerated than when they remained dormant, suggesting that the transformation ability of methanotrophs is best preserved by storage under anoxic conditions.

Full text

PDF
228

Selected References

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

  1. Arciero D., Vannelli T., Logan M., Hooper A. B. Degradation of trichloroethylene by the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1989 Mar 15;159(2):640–643. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(89)90042-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bouwer E. J., McCarty P. L. Transformations of 1- and 2-carbon halogenated aliphatic organic compounds under methanogenic conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Apr;45(4):1286–1294. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.4.1286-1294.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Colby J., Stirling D. I., Dalton H. The soluble methane mono-oxygenase of Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath). Its ability to oxygenate n-alkanes, n-alkenes, ethers, and alicyclic, aromatic and heterocyclic compounds. Biochem J. 1977 Aug 1;165(2):395–402. doi: 10.1042/bj1650395. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dalton H., Stirling D. I. Co-metabolism. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1982 Jun 11;297(1088):481–496. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1982.0056. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fan A. M. Trichloroethylene: water contamination and health risk assessment. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 1988;101:55–92. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4612-3770-9_2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fogel M. M., Taddeo A. R., Fogel S. Biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes by a methane-utilizing mixed culture. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Apr;51(4):720–724. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.4.720-724.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fox B. G., Froland W. A., Dege J. E., Lipscomb J. D. Methane monooxygenase from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Purification and properties of a three-component system with high specific activity from a type II methanotroph. J Biol Chem. 1989 Jun 15;264(17):10023–10033. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Freedman D. L., Gossett J. M. Biological reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene to ethylene under methanogenic conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Sep;55(9):2144–2151. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.9.2144-2151.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gälli R., McCarty P. L. Biotransformation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloromethane, and tetrachloromethane by a Clostridium sp. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Apr;55(4):837–844. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.4.837-844.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Henry S. M., Grbić-Galić D. Influence of endogenous and exogenous electron donors and trichloroethylene oxidation toxicity on trichloroethylene oxidation by methanotrophic cultures from a groundwater aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 Jan;57(1):236–244. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.1.236-244.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Higgins I. J., Best D. J., Scott D. Generation of products by methanotrophs. Basic Life Sci. 1982;19:383–402. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4684-4142-0_29. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Little C. D., Palumbo A. V., Herbes S. E., Lidstrom M. E., Tyndall R. L., Gilmer P. J. Trichloroethylene biodegradation by a methane-oxidizing bacterium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Apr;54(4):951–956. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.4.951-956.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Miller R. E., Guengerich F. P. Oxidation of trichloroethylene by liver microsomal cytochrome P-450: evidence for chlorine migration in a transition state not involving trichloroethylene oxide. Biochemistry. 1982 Mar 2;21(5):1090–1097. doi: 10.1021/bi00534a041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nelson M. J., Montgomery S. O., Mahaffey W. R., Pritchard P. H. Biodegradation of trichloroethylene and involvement of an aromatic biodegradative pathway. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 May;53(5):949–954. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.5.949-954.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Oldenhuis R., Vink R. L., Janssen D. B., Witholt B. Degradation of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b expressing soluble methane monooxygenase. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Nov;55(11):2819–2826. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.11.2819-2826.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Patel R. N., Hou C. T., Laskin A. I., Felix A. Microbial Oxidation of Hydrocarbons: Properties of a Soluble Methane Monooxygenase from a Facultative Methane-Utilizing Organism, Methylobacterium sp. Strain CRL-26. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Nov;44(5):1130–1137. doi: 10.1128/aem.44.5.1130-1137.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Stirling D. I., Dalton H. Effect of metal-binding and other compounds on methane oxidation by two strains of Methylococcus capsulatus. Arch Microbiol. 1977 Jul 26;114(1):71–76. doi: 10.1007/BF00429633. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tsien H. C., Brusseau G. A., Hanson R. S., Waclett L. P. Biodegradation of trichloroethylene by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Dec;55(12):3155–3161. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.12.3155-3161.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Vogel T. M., McCarty P. L. Biotransformation of tetrachloroethylene to trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and carbon dioxide under methanogenic conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 May;49(5):1080–1083. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.5.1080-1083.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wackett L. P., Brusseau G. A., Householder S. R., Hanson R. S. Survey of microbial oxygenases: trichloroethylene degradation by propane-oxidizing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Nov;55(11):2960–2964. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.11.2960-2964.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Wackett L. P., Gibson D. T. Degradation of trichloroethylene by toluene dioxygenase in whole-cell studies with Pseudomonas putida F1. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Jul;54(7):1703–1708. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.7.1703-1708.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wackett L. P., Householder S. R. Toxicity of Trichloroethylene to Pseudomonas putida F1 Is Mediated by Toluene Dioxygenase. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Oct;55(10):2723–2725. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.10.2723-2725.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wilson J. T., Wilson B. H. Biotransformation of trichloroethylene in soil. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Jan;49(1):242–243. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.1.242-243.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES