Preliminary study on biodegradation of phenanthrene by bacteria isolated from mangrove sediments in Hong Kong

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 316 - 324
• Main Authors: Tam, N.F.Y, Guo, C.L, Yau, W.Y, Wong, Y.S
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Avicennia; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological and physicochemical phenomena; Biotechnology; China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Geologic Sediments - microbiology; Glucose; Hong Kong; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Isolate; Marine and brackish environment; Mixed culture; Natural water pollution; phenanthrene; Phenanthrenes - metabolism; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; Salinity; Sodium Chloride; Water - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water treatment and pollution; Hong Kong; Asia; China; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; Isolate; Glucose; Mixed culture; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; Salinity; Biodegradation; Brackish water environment; Phenanthrene; Mixed microorganism culture; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Mangrove; Bacteria; Coastal water; Water pollution; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(02)00108-X

Elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been found in mangrove sediments due to anthropogenic pollution, and microbial degradation has been suggested as the best way to remove PAHs from contaminated sediments. The degradation of phenanthrene, a model PAH compound by bacteria, either the enriched mixed culture or individual isolate isolated from surface mangrove sediments was examined. The effects of salinity, initial phenanthrene concentrations and the addition of glucose on biodegradation potential were also investigated. Results show that surface sediments collected from four mangrove swamps in Hong Kong had different degree of PAH contamination and had different indigenous phenanthrene-degrading bacterial consortia. The enriched bacteria could use phenanthrene as the sole carbon source for growth and degrade this PAH compound accordingly. A significant positive relationship was found between bacterial growth and percentages of phenanthrene degradation. The phenanthrene biodegradation ability of the enriched mixed bacterial culture was not related to the degree of PAH contamination in surface sediments. The growth and biodegradation percentages of the enriched mixed culture were not higher than that of the individual isolate especially at low salinity (0 and 10 ppt). High salinity (35 ppt) inhibited growth and biodegradation of phenanthrene of a bacterial isolate but less inhibitory effect was found on the mixed culture. The inhibitory effects of salinity could be reduced with the addition of glucose.