Sulfate-Mediated Bacterial Population Shift in a Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)-Degrading Anaerobic Enrichment Culture

Authors: Arnett, Clint¹; Adrian, Neal¹; Ringelberg, David²; Wesslund, Neil¹; Yenser, Kelly³

Source: Bioremediation Journal, Volume 13, Number 1, January 2009 , pp. 52-63(12)

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Abstract:

The effects of sulfate on the population dynamics of an anaerobic hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)-degrading consortium were studied using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. One hundred percent of the initial RDX was degraded in the sulfate-amended culture within 3 days of incubation. In the sulfate-unamended cultures, 35% of the initial RDX remained after 3 days and 8% after 7 days of incubation. Based on the T-RFLP distribution of the community 16S rDNA genes, the microcosm consisted predominantly of two organisms, a Geobacter sp. (78%) and an Acetobacterium sp. (14%). However, in the presence of sulfate, both species decreased to less than 3% of the total population within 3 days and an unclassified Clostridiaceae became the dominant organism at 40% the total fragment distribution. This indicated the explosive-degrading consortium had greater diversity than initially perceived and rapidly adapted to a readily available electron acceptor, which in turn stimulated RDX degradation.

Keywords: Acetobacterium; Clostridia; Desulfovibrio; explosive; Geobacter; hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10889860802690653

Affiliations: 1: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Illinois, USA 2: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA 3: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA

Publication date: 2009-01-01