Benzene degradation coupled with chlorate reduction

摘要

A chlorate-reducing enrichment culture was able to degrade benzene. The initial amount of 150-μM benzene was degraded in 100 days. The rate of benzene degradation increased after re-addition of benzene, and an active enrichment culture was obtained. This culture did not degrade benzene if chlorate was omitted and did not use nitrate or perchlorate as electron acceptor for the benzene degradation. Molecular analyses of a part of the 16S rDNA with DGGE revealed at least 10 amplicons from various bacterial strains. Cloning and sequencing of the dominant DGGE band revealed the presence of 16S rDNA of two strains. One clone had 99% homology with the 16S rDNA with three different aerotolerant nitrate reducers, i.e. Acidovorax and Acidophilus spp. The other clone had 92% homology with the 16S rDNA of Dechloromonas, a chlorate-reducing organism.