Biodegradative potential and characterization of psychrotolerant polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading marine bacteria isolated from a coastal station in the Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica)

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 54; no. 11; pp. 1754 - 1761
• Main Authors: Michaud, Luigi, Di Marco, Gaetano, Bruni, Vivia, Lo Giudice, Angelina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antarctic marine bacteria; Antarctic Regions; Applied sciences; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacterial characterization; Biodegradation, Environmental; Cold Temperature; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Marine; Marine Biology; Molecular Sequence Data; Natural water pollution; PCB-degradation; Phylogeny; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - metabolism; Pseudoalteromonas; Psychrobacter; Psychrotolerant bacteria; Seawater - microbiology; Seawaters, estuaries; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Species Specificity; Time Factors; Water Microbiology; Water treatment and pollution; Antarctic Ocean; Ross Sea; Antarctica; Antarctic Regions; Antarctica, Ross Dependency, Terra Nova Bay; PS, Antarctica, Ross Dependency, Terra Nova Bay; PS, Ross Sea; Antarctic marine bacteria; Psychrotolerant bacteria; Bacterial characterization; PCB-degradation; Microbial activity; Pseudoalteromonas; Phylogeny; Persistent organic pollutant; Psychrobacter; Decontamination; Chlorocarbon; Bacteria; Aromatic compound; Polar region; Bioremediation; Organic compounds; Seawater; Biodegradation; Polychlorobiphenyls; Genotype; Organic chlorine compounds; Polymerase chain reaction; Phenotype; Actinomycetes; Water pollution; Arthrobacter
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.07.011

Antarctic marine bacteria were screened for their ability to degrade polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) as the sole carbon and energy source at both 4
°C and 15
°C. PCB-degrading isolates (7.1%) were identified by sequencing their 16S rDNA as
Pseudoalteromonas,
Psychrobacter and
Arthrobacter members.
One representative isolate
per genera was selected for evaluating the biodegradative potential under laboratory scale and phenotypically characterized. Removal of individual PCB congeners was between 35.6% and 79.8% at 4
°C and between 0.4% and 82.8% at 15
°C. Differences in the removal patterns of PCB congeners were observed in relation to the phylogenetic affiliation:
Arthrobacter isolate showed similar biodegradation efficiencies when growing at 4
°C and 15
°C, while
Pseudoalteromonas better degraded PCBs at 15
°C. No biodegradation was detected for
Psychrobacter isolate at 4
°C.
Results obtained highlight the occurrence of PCB-degrading bacteria in Antarctic seawater and suggest the potential exploitation of autochthonous bacteria for PCB bioremediation in cold marine environments.