Phenanthrene degradation and strategies to improve its bioavailability to microorganisms isolated from brackish sediments

Samborombón Bay, Argentina, is a highly productive area exposed to chronic contamination, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Four phenanthrene-degrading strains were isolated from sediments collected in this area. Analysis of partial 16S rRNA sequencing and a BLAST search indicated that thr...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Pedetta, Andrea, Pouyte, Karina, Herrera Seitz, Karina, Babay, Paola Alejandra, Espinosa, Mariela, Costagliola, Marcela, Studdert, Claudia Alicia, Peressutti, Silvia R.
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2013
Country:Argentina
Institution:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repository:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/100952
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/100952
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:BIOREMEDIATION
BIOSURFACTANT
CHEMOTAXIS
PHENANTHRENE
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Description
Summary:Samborombón Bay, Argentina, is a highly productive area exposed to chronic contamination, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Four phenanthrene-degrading strains were isolated from sediments collected in this area. Analysis of partial 16S rRNA sequencing and a BLAST search indicated that three of the strains belong to genus Pseudomonas and one to Sphingomonas. All the strains were able to grow in 150mgl-1 phenanthrene as the sole carbon and energy source, with high degradation efficiency (75-100% in 72-168h). Growth in sodium salicylate indicated that the Pseudomonas strains used this pathway to degrade phenanthrene.Strategies that may enhance substrate bioavailability, such as surfactant production and chemotactic responses, were tested. Two Pseudomonas strains showed significant production of surface-active compounds, and a strong chemotactic response toward phenanthrene. Together with the ability to consume the supplied phenanthrene to completion, these characteristics make the mentioned strains good candidates for bioremediation strategies intended to clean up polluted areas.