Cometabolic degradation of MTBE by iso-alkane-utilizing bacteria from gasoline-impacted soils

摘要

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is frequently added to gasoline as an oxygenate to reduce automobile emissions of CO and NO_x. There is currently considerable interest in the potential use of biological processes for the remediation of MTBE contaminated ground water resulting from surface fuel spills and leaking undeground fuel storage tanks. Several microorganisms have been described that can grow on MTBE as a sole source of carbon and energy (Salanitro et al., 1994, Hanson et al., 1999). In contrast, our research focuses on cometabolic processes in which MTBE is fortuitously degraded by organisms that grow on substrates other than MTBE.