Rapid degradation of halogenated hydrocarbons by soluble methane monooxygenase

摘要

A method is disclosed for degradation of a halogenated hydrocarbon compound such as trichloroethylene (TCE) which utilizes a soluble methane monooxygenase or a bacterium comprising the monooxygenase. Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is a soluble methane monooxygenase- producing bacterium which when cultivated by continuous culturing comprising exposing the bacterium to a continuous-flow gas mixture of air and methane in a ratio of about 25:1-1:20, respectively. Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is capable of degrading TCE at rates from about 500-10, 000 micromoles per hour per gram cells. The present method is useful to degrade halogenated hydrocarbon compounds such as TCE at initial concentrations up to 10,000 micromoles/l.