BIOLOGICAL ISOLATES FOR DEGRADING NITROAROMATICS AND NITRAMINES IN WATER AND SOILS

摘要

Three individual strains of anaerobic microorganisms are disclosed. Each has an ability to degrade nitroaromatic and nitramine compounds under anaerobic conditions. The strains, identified as LJP-1, SBF-1, and KMR-1, appear to be of Clostridium bifermentans. The strains were isolated from consortia of anaerobic microorganisms grown in a chemostat in which the 'munitions' compounds TNT (as a representative nitroaromatic) and 'RDX' and 'HMX' (as representative nitramines) were administered as sole sources of carbon for the microorganisms. The isolated strains, either individually or as mixtures thereof, can be used in methods for degrading, under anaerobic conditions (i.e., redox potential ≤ -200 mV), a contaminant nitroaromatic and/or nitramine compound in water or soil (as an aqueous slurry, i.e., 'fluid medium'). The strains will degrade nitroaromatics and nitramines in such fluid media either alone or with other microorganisms present in the fluid medium.