Quantitative Assessment of the Effects of Metals on Microbial Degradation of Organic Chemicals

摘要

Biodegradation inhibition of a benchmark chemical, 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid methyl ester (2,4-DME), was used to quantify the inhibitory effects of heavy metals on aerobic microbial degradation rates of organic chemicals. The procedure used lake sediments and aufwuchs (floating mats) collected in the field or from laboratory microcosms. Effects of CuCl2, HgCl2, ZnCl2, Cd(NO3)2, and Cr(NO3)3 at initial concentrations ranging from 0.3 microM to 73 mM (approximately 0.1 to 10,000 mg/liter) were investigated. In general, such metallic compounds appeared to be considerably more inhibitory to the biodegradation of an organic chemical than high concentrations of microbially toxic compounds studied previously. Effects of various metal concentrations were evaluated. (Copyright (c) 1991 American Society for Microbiology.)