Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1991 Apr;57(4):1139–1145. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.4.1139-1145.1991

Anaerobic degradation of toluene by a denitrifying bacterium.

P J Evans 1, D T Mang 1, K S Kim 1, L Y Young 1
PMCID: PMC182858  PMID: 2059037

Abstract

A denitrifying bacterium, designated strain T1, that grew with toluene as the sole source of carbon under anaerobic conditions was isolated. The type of agar used in solid media and the toxicity of toluene were determinative factors in the successful isolation of strain T1. Greater than 50% of the toluene carbon was oxidized to CO2, and 29% was assimilated into biomass. The oxidation of toluene to CO2 was stoichiometrically coupled to nitrate reduction and denitrification. Strain T1 was tolerant of and grew on 3 mM toluene after a lag phase. The rate of toluene degradation was 1.8 mumol min-1 liter-1 (56 nmol min-1 mg of protein-1) in a cell suspension. Strain T1 was distinct from other bacteria that oxidize toluene anaerobically, but it may utilize a similar biochemical pathway of oxidation. In addition, o-xylene was transformed to a metabolite in the presence of toluene but did not serve as the sole source of carbon for growth of strain T1. This transformation was dependent on the degradation of toluene.

Full text

PDF
1139

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. CLAUS D., WALKER N. THE DECOMPOSITION OF TOLUENE BY SOIL BACTERIA. J Gen Microbiol. 1964 Jul;36:107–122. doi: 10.1099/00221287-36-1-107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Dean B. J. Genetic toxicology of benzene, toluene, xylenes and phenols. Mutat Res. 1978;47(2):75–97. doi: 10.1016/0165-1110(78)90014-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dolfing J., Zeyer J., Binder-Eicher P., Schwarzenbach R. P. Isolation and characterization of a bacterium that mineralizes toluene in the absence of molecular oxygen. Arch Microbiol. 1990;154(4):336–341. doi: 10.1007/BF00276528. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Evans P. J., Mang D. T., Young L. Y. Degradation of toluene and m-xylene and transformation of o-xylene by denitrifying enrichment cultures. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 Feb;57(2):450–454. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.2.450-454.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Grbić-Galić D., Vogel T. M. Transformation of toluene and benzene by mixed methanogenic cultures. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Feb;53(2):254–260. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.2.254-260.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kuhn E. P., Zeyer J., Eicher P., Schwarzenbach R. P. Anaerobic degradation of alkylated benzenes in denitrifying laboratory aquifer columns. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Feb;54(2):490–496. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.2.490-496.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lovley D. R., Lonergan D. J. Anaerobic Oxidation of Toluene, Phenol, and p-Cresol by the Dissimilatory Iron-Reducing Organism, GS-15. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jun;56(6):1858–1864. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.6.1858-1864.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Raymond R. L., Jamison V. W., Hudson J. O. Microbial hydrocarbon co-oxidation. I. Oxidation of mono- and dicyclic hydrocarbons by soil isolates of the genus Nocardia. Appl Microbiol. 1967 Jul;15(4):857–865. doi: 10.1128/am.15.4.857-865.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Vogel T. M., Grbìc-Galìc D. Incorporation of Oxygen from Water into Toluene and Benzene during Anaerobic Fermentative Transformation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Jul;52(1):200–202. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.1.200-202.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Worsey M. J., Williams P. A. Metabolism of toluene and xylenes by Pseudomonas (putida (arvilla) mt-2: evidence for a new function of the TOL plasmid. J Bacteriol. 1975 Oct;124(1):7–13. doi: 10.1128/jb.124.1.7-13.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Zeyer J., Kuhn E. P., Schwarzenbach R. P. Rapid microbial mineralization of toluene and 1,3-dimethylbenzene in the absence of molecular oxygen. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Oct;52(4):944–947. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.4.944-947.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES