Enhancing tetrabromobisphenol A biodegradation in river sediment microcosms and understanding the corresponding microbial community

Guiying Li; Jukun Xiong; Po Keung Wong; Taicheng An

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.11.001

Enhancing tetrabromobisphenol A biodegradation in river sediment microcosms and understanding the corresponding microbial community

Environ Pollut. 2016 Jan;208(Pt B):796-802. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.11.001. Epub 2015 Nov 18.

Authors

Guiying Li¹, Jukun Xiong², Po Keung Wong³, Taicheng An⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
³ School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: antc99@gig.ac.cn.

PMID: 26602791
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.11.001

Abstract

In situ remediation of contaminated sediment using microbes is a promising environmental treatment method. This study used bioaugmentation to investigate the biodegradation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in sediment microcosms collected from an electronic-waste recycling site. Treatments included adding possible biodegradation intermediates of TBBPA, including 2,4-dibromophenol (2,4-DBP), 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP), and bisphenol A (BPA) as co-substrates. Bioaugmentation was done with Ochrobactrum sp. T (TBBPA-degrader) and a mixed culture of Ochrobactrum sp. T, Bacillus sp. GZT (TBP-degrader) and Bacillus sp. GZB (BPA-degrader). Results showed that bioaugmentation with Ochrobactrum sp. T significantly improved TBBPA degradation efficiencies in sediment microcosms (P < 0.01); aerobic conditions increased the microbes' degradation activities. Co-substrates 2,4-DBP, TBP and BPA inhibited biodegradation of TBBPA. A metagenomic analysis of total 16S rRNA genes from the treated sediment microcosms showed that the following dominant genera: Ochrobactrum, Parasegetibacter, Thermithiobacillus, Phenylobacterium and Sphingomonas. The genus level of Ochrobactrum increased with increased degradation time, within 10-week of incubation. Microbes from genus Ochrobactrum are mainly linked to enhance the TBBPA biodegradation.

Keywords: Bioaugmentation; Brominated flame retardants; Microbial community evolution; Ochrobactrum sp. T.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bacillus / metabolism
Benzhydryl Compounds / chemistry
Biodegradation, Environmental / drug effects
Biodiversity
Electronic Waste / analysis
Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
Geologic Sediments / microbiology
Ochrobactrum / metabolism
Phenols / chemistry
Polybrominated Biphenyls / analysis
Polybrominated Biphenyls / chemistry
Polybrominated Biphenyls / metabolism*
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Rivers / chemistry
Rivers / microbiology*
Sphingomonas

Substances

Benzhydryl Compounds
Phenols
Polybrominated Biphenyls
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
tetrabromobisphenol A
2,4-dibromophenol
bisphenol A
2,4,6-tribromophenol