1
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Goff JL, Hahn C, Ingrassia RA, Tiyapun C, Waldschmidt GG, Smith ER, Marini MN, Shevchenko O, Maresca JA. Genome sequences of four bacterial strains isolated from organofluorine enrichment cultures. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024; 13:e0053224. [PMID: 39012130 PMCID: PMC11320930 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00532-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Because fluorinated organic compounds are broadly used and highly persistent, microbes isolated from wastewater may be able to degrade these contaminants. Here, we report the genome sequences of Flavobacterium sp. str. WV_118_3, Nocardioides sp. str. WV_118_6, Ochrobactrum anthropi str. WV_118_8, and Sphingomonas sp. str. VL_57B, isolated from wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Goff
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Chris Hahn
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Ingrassia
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Chanistha Tiyapun
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Gray G. Waldschmidt
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Emma R. Smith
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Miranda N. Marini
- Microbiology Graduate Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Olga Shevchenko
- Sequencing and Genotyping Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Julia A. Maresca
- Department of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA
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2
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Petkowski JJ, Seager S, Bains W. Reasons why life on Earth rarely makes fluorine-containing compounds and their implications for the search for life beyond Earth. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15575. [PMID: 38971876 PMCID: PMC11227584 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66265-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Life on Earth is known to rarely make fluorinated carbon compounds, as compared to other halocarbons. We quantify this rarity, based on our exhaustive natural products database curated from available literature. We build on explanations for the scarcity of fluorine chemistry in life on Earth, namely that the exclusion of the C-F bond stems from the unique physico-chemical properties of fluorine, predominantly its extreme electronegativity and strong hydration shell. We further show that the C-F bond is very hard to synthesize and when it is made by life its potential biological functions can be readily provided by alternative functional groups that are much less costly to incorporate into existing biochemistry. As a result, the overall evolutionary cost-to-benefit balance of incorporation of the C-F bond into the chemical repertoire of life is not favorable. We argue that the limitations of organofluorine chemistry are likely universal in that they do not exclusively apply to specifics of Earth's biochemistry. C-F bonds, therefore, will be rare in life beyond Earth no matter its chemical makeup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland.
- JJ Scientific, Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 4 The Parade, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK
- Rufus Scientific, Melbourn, Royston, Herts, UK
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3
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Farajollahi S, Lombardo NV, Crenshaw MD, Guo HB, Doherty ME, Davison TR, Steel JJ, Almand EA, Varaljay VA, Suei-Hung C, Mirau PA, Berry RJ, Kelley-Loughnane N, Dennis PB. Defluorination of Organofluorine Compounds Using Dehalogenase Enzymes from Delftia acidovorans (D4B). ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:28546-28555. [PMID: 38973860 PMCID: PMC11223199 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Organofluorine compounds have been widely used as pharmaceuticals, agricultural pesticides, and water-resistant coatings for decades; however, these compounds are recognized as environmental pollutants. The capability of microorganisms and enzymes to defluorinate organofluorine compounds is both rare and highly desirable to facilitate environmental remediation efforts. Recently, a strain of Delftia acidovorans (D4B) was identified with potential biodegradation activity toward perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other organofluorine compounds. Genomic analysis found haloacid and fluoroacetate dehalogenases as enzymes associated with Delftia acidovorans. Here, defluorination activity of these enzymes toward different fluorinated substrates was investigated after their recombinant expression and purification from E. coli. Using an electrochemical fluoride probe, 19F NMR, and mass spectrometry to monitor defluorination, we identified two dehalogenases, DeHa2 (a haloacid dehalogenase) and DeHa4 (a fluoroacetate dehalogenase), with activity toward mono- and difluoroacetate. Of the two dehalogenases, DeHa4 demonstrated a low pH optimum compared to DeHa2, which lost catalytic activity under acidic conditions. DeHa2 and DeHa4 are relatively small proteins, operate under aerobic conditions, and remain active for days in the presence of substrates. Significantly, while there have been many reports on dehalogenation of monofluoroacetate by dehalogenases, this study adds to the relatively small list of enzymes reported to carry out enzymatic defluorination of the more recalcitrant disubstituted carbon in an organofluorine compound. Thus, DeHa2 and DeHa4 represent organofluorine dehalogenases that may be used in the future to design and engineer robust defluorination agents for environmental remediation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Farajollahi
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
| | - Nina V. Lombardo
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
- UES
a BlueHalo Company, 4401
Dayton-Xenia Rd., Dayton, Ohio United States 45432-1894
| | - Michael D. Crenshaw
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
- UES
a BlueHalo Company, 4401
Dayton-Xenia Rd., Dayton, Ohio United States 45432-1894
| | - Hao-Bo Guo
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
- UES
a BlueHalo Company, 4401
Dayton-Xenia Rd., Dayton, Ohio United States 45432-1894
| | - Megan E. Doherty
- Department
of Biology, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado United States 80840-5002
| | - Tina R. Davison
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
- UES
a BlueHalo Company, 4401
Dayton-Xenia Rd., Dayton, Ohio United States 45432-1894
| | - Jordan J. Steel
- Department
of Biology, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado United States 80840-5002
| | - Erin A. Almand
- Department
of Biology, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado United States 80840-5002
| | - Vanessa A. Varaljay
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
- The
Ohio State University, Infectious Diseases
Institute, Columbus, Ohio United States 43210-1132
| | - Chia Suei-Hung
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
| | - Peter A. Mirau
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
| | - Rajiv J. Berry
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
| | - Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
| | - Patrick B. Dennis
- Air
Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, 2179 12th Street, WPAFB, Ohio United States 45433-7131
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4
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Yan M, Gao Z, Xiang X, Wang Q, Song X, Wu Y, Löffler FE, Zeng J, Lin X. Defluorination of monofluorinated alkane by Rhodococcus sp. NJF-7 isolated from soil. AMB Express 2024; 14:65. [PMID: 38842638 PMCID: PMC11156826 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-024-01729-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial degradation of fluorinated compounds raised significant attention because of their widespread distribution and potential environmental impacts. Here, we report a bacterial isolate, Rhodococcus sp. NJF-7 capable of defluorinating monofluorinated medium-chain length alkanes. This isolate consumed 2.29 ± 0.13 mmol L- 1 of 1-fluorodecane (FD) during a 52 h incubation period, resulting in a significant release of inorganic fluoride amounting to 2.16 ± 0.03 mmol L- 1. The defluorination process was strongly affected by the initial FD concentration and pH conditions, with lower pH increasing fluoride toxicity to bacterial cells and inhibiting enzymatic defluorination activity. Stoichiometric conversion of FD to fluoride was observed at neutral pH with resting cells, while defluorination was significantly lower at reduced pH (6.5). The discovery of the metabolites decanoic acid and methyl decanoate suggests that the initial attack by monooxygenases may be responsible for the biological defluorination of FD. The findings here provide new insights into microbial defluorination processes, specifically aiding in understanding the environmental fate of organic semi-fluorinated alkane chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yan
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Zhaozhao Gao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xingjia Xiang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China.
| | - Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yucheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Microbiology, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Jun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China.
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiangui Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing East Road, 71, Nanjing, 210008, China
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5
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Salierno G. On the Chemical Pathways Influencing the Effective Global Warming Potential of Commercial Hydrofluoroolefin Gases. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024:e202400280. [PMID: 38576083 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202400280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The enforcement of a global hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant phase down led to the introduction of hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) as a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) substitute, given their low atmospheric lifetime. However, to this date it is not fully clear the long-term atmospheric fate of HFOs primary degradation products: trifluoro acetaldehyde (TFE), trifluoro acetyl fluoride (TFF), and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). It particularly concerns the possibility of forming HFC-23, a potent global warming agent. Although the atmospheric reaction networks of TFE, TFF, and TFA have a fair level of complexity, the relevant atmospheric chemical pathways are well characterized in the literature, enabling a comprehensive hazard assessment of HFC-23 formation as a secondary HFO breakdown product in diverse scenarios. A lower bound of the HFOs effective GWP in a baseline scenario is found above regulatory thresholds. While further research is crucial to refine climate risk assessments, the existing evidence suggests a non-negligible climate hazard associated with HFOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Salierno
- Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of Massachusetts - Lowell, 126 John Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, United States of America
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6
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Wackett LP. Evolutionary obstacles and not C-F bond strength make PFAS persistent. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14463. [PMID: 38593328 PMCID: PMC11003709 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The fate of organic matter in the environment, including anthropogenic chemicals, is largely predicated on the enzymatic capabilities of microorganisms. Microbes readily degrade, and thus recycle, most of the ~100,000 commercial chemicals used in modern society. Per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) are different. Many research papers posit that the general resistance of PFAS to microbial degradation is based in chemistry and that argument relates to the strength of the C-F bond. Here, I advance the opinion that the low biodegradability of PFAS is best formulated as a biological optimization problem, hence evolution. The framing of the problem is important. If it is framed around C-F bond strength, the major effort should focus on finding and engineering new C-F cleaving enzymes. The alternative, and preferred approach suggested here, is to focus on the directed evolution of biological systems containing known C-F cleaving systems. There are now reports of bacteria degrading and/or growing on multiply fluorinated arenes, alkenoic and alkanoic acids. The impediment to more efficient and widespread biodegradation in these systems is biological, not chemical. The rationale for this argument is made in the five sections below that follow the Introduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P. Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
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7
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Tang Z, Vogel TM, Wang Q, Wei C, Ali M, Song X. Microbial defluorination of TFA, PFOA, and HFPO-DA by a native microbial consortium under anoxic conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133217. [PMID: 38101019 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the biodegradability of trifluoroacetate (TFA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic acid (HFPO-DA) by a native microbial community was evaluated over a 10-month incubation period. The observed microbial defluorination ratios and removal efficiency were 3.46 ( ± 2.73) % and 8.03 ( ± 3.03) %, 8.44 ( ± 1.88) % and 13.52 ( ± 4.96) %, 3.02 ( ± 0.62) % and 5.45 ( ± 2.99) % for TFA, PFOA and HFPO-DA, respectively. The biodegradation intermediate products, TFA and pentafluoropropionic acid (PFA), of PFOA and HFPO-DA were detected in their biodegradation treatment groups. Furthermore, the concentrations of the PFOA metabolites, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), in the aqueous solutions after incubation were quantified to be 0.21 and 4.14 µg/L. TFA, PFOA and HFPO-DA significantly reduced the microbial diversity and changed the structure of the community. The co-occurrence network analysis showed that low abundance species, such as Flexilinea flocculi, Bacteriovorax stolpii, and g_Sphingomonas, are positively correlated with the generation of fluoride ion, implying their potential collaborative functions contributing to the observed biodefluorination. The findings in this study can provide insights for the biodegradation of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and their emerging alternatives by indigenous microorganisms in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Tang
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Timothy M Vogel
- Ecologie Microbienne, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne F-69622, France
| | - Qing Wang
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Changlong Wei
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Mukhtiar Ali
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin Song
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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8
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Alexandrino DAM, Carvalho MF. Defluorination as the key trait to gauge the biodegradability of fluorinated pollutants in environmental microbial communities. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:321-338. [PMID: 38658086 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Research on microbial defluorination is largely centred on controlled experiments using axenic or well defined microbial inocula. These approaches serve a relevant purpose in the field, offering fundamental biochemical and mechanistic insights on the intricacies of biological defluorination. However, they fail to account for the effective contribution of environmental microbial communities in the recycling of fluoroorganic pollutants, a highly relevant perspective from an environmental risk assessment standpoint, while also missing an important outlook on how community-wide dynamics can leverage the breakdown of C─F bonds in these recalcitrant compounds. With that in mind, this chapter provides experimental and methodological insights on the study of microbial defluorination in wild environmental communities, using this critical catabolic step as the de facto endpoint to evolve, select and cultivate microorganisms with improved defluorination performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A M Alexandrino
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, P. Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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9
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Wackett LP. Microwell fluoride assay screening for enzymatic defluorination. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:65-83. [PMID: 38658089 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
There is intense interest in removing fluorinated compounds from the environment, environments are most efficiently remediated by microbial enzymes, and defluorinating enzymes are readily monitored by fluoride determination. Fluorine is the most electronegative element. Consequently, all mechanisms of enzymatic C-F bond cleavage produce fluoride anion, F-. Therefore, methods for the determination of fluoride are critical for C-F enzymology and apply to any fluorinated organic compounds, including PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances. The biodegradation of most PFAS chemicals is rare or unknown. Accordingly, identifying new enzymes, or re-engineering the known defluorinases, will require rapid and sensitive methods for measuring fluoride in aqueous media. Most studies currently use ion chromatography or fluoride specific electrodes which are relatively sensitive but low throughput. The methods here describe refashioning a drinking water test to efficiently determine fluoride in enzyme and cell culture reaction mixtures. The method is based on lanthanum alizarin complexone binding of fluoride. Reworking the method to a microtiter well plate format allows detection of as little as 4 nmol of fluoride in 200 μL of assay buffer. The method is amenable to color imaging, spectrophotometric plate reading and automated liquid handling to expedite assays with thousands of enzymes and/or substrates for discovering and improving enzymatic defluorination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
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10
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Khusnutdinova AN, Batyrova KA, Brown G, Fedorchuk T, Chai YS, Skarina T, Flick R, Petit AP, Savchenko A, Stogios P, Yakunin AF. Structural insights into hydrolytic defluorination of difluoroacetate by microbial fluoroacetate dehalogenases. FEBS J 2023; 290:4966-4983. [PMID: 37437000 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Fluorine forms the strongest single bond to carbon with the highest bond dissociation energy among natural products. However, fluoroacetate dehalogenases (FADs) have been shown to hydrolyze this bond in fluoroacetate under mild reaction conditions. Furthermore, two recent studies demonstrated that the FAD RPA1163 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris can also accept bulkier substrates. In this study, we explored the substrate promiscuity of microbial FADs and their ability to defluorinate polyfluorinated organic acids. Enzymatic screening of eight purified dehalogenases with reported fluoroacetate defluorination activity revealed significant hydrolytic activity against difluoroacetate in three proteins. Product analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identified glyoxylic acid as the final product of enzymatic DFA defluorination. The crystal structures of DAR3835 from Dechloromonas aromatica and NOS0089 from Nostoc sp. were determined in the apo-state along with the DAR3835 H274N glycolyl intermediate. Structure-based site-directed mutagenesis of DAR3835 demonstrated a key role for the catalytic triad and other active site residues in the defluorination of both fluoroacetate and difluoroacetate. Computational analysis of the dimer structures of DAR3835, NOS0089, and RPA1163 indicated the presence of one substrate access tunnel in each protomer. Moreover, protein-ligand docking simulations suggested similar catalytic mechanisms for the defluorination of both fluoroacetate and difluoroacetate, with difluoroacetate being defluorinated via two consecutive defluorination reactions producing glyoxylate as the final product. Thus, our findings provide molecular insights into substrate promiscuity and catalytic mechanism of FADs, which are promising biocatalysts for applications in synthetic chemistry and bioremediation of fluorochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N Khusnutdinova
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
- Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, UK
| | - Khorcheska A Batyrova
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Greg Brown
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tatiana Fedorchuk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Yao Sheng Chai
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tatiana Skarina
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Flick
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alain-Pierre Petit
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, UK
| | - Alexei Savchenko
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Health Research Innovation Centre, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter Stogios
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alexander F Yakunin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, UK
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11
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Madronich S, Sulzberger B, Longstreth JD, Schikowski T, Andersen MPS, Solomon KR, Wilson SR. Changes in tropospheric air quality related to the protection of stratospheric ozone in a changing climate. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:1129-1176. [PMID: 37310641 PMCID: PMC10262938 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00369-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation drives the net production of tropospheric ozone (O3) and a large fraction of particulate matter (PM) including sulfate, nitrate, and secondary organic aerosols. Ground-level O3 and PM are detrimental to human health, leading to several million premature deaths per year globally, and have adverse effects on plants and the yields of crops. The Montreal Protocol has prevented large increases in UV radiation that would have had major impacts on air quality. Future scenarios in which stratospheric O3 returns to 1980 values or even exceeds them (the so-called super-recovery) will tend to ameliorate urban ground-level O3 slightly but worsen it in rural areas. Furthermore, recovery of stratospheric O3 is expected to increase the amount of O3 transported into the troposphere by meteorological processes that are sensitive to climate change. UV radiation also generates hydroxyl radicals (OH) that control the amounts of many environmentally important chemicals in the atmosphere including some greenhouse gases, e.g., methane (CH4), and some short-lived ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). Recent modeling studies have shown that the increases in UV radiation associated with the depletion of stratospheric ozone over 1980-2020 have contributed a small increase (~ 3%) to the globally averaged concentrations of OH. Replacements for ODSs include chemicals that react with OH radicals, hence preventing the transport of these chemicals to the stratosphere. Some of these chemicals, e.g., hydrofluorocarbons that are currently being phased out, and hydrofluoroolefins now used increasingly, decompose into products whose fate in the environment warrants further investigation. One such product, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), has no obvious pathway of degradation and might accumulate in some water bodies, but is unlikely to cause adverse effects out to 2100.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Madronich
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, USA.
- USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
| | - B Sulzberger
- Academic Guest after retirement from Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH-8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - J D Longstreth
- The Institute for Global Risk Research, LLC, Bethesda, USA
| | - T Schikowski
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - M P Sulbæk Andersen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Northridge, USA
| | - K R Solomon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - S R Wilson
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
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12
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Berhanu A, Mutanda I, Taolin J, Qaria MA, Yang B, Zhu D. A review of microbial degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Biotransformation routes and enzymes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160010. [PMID: 36356780 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1950s, copious amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (dubbed "forever chemicals") have been dumped into the environment, causing heavy contamination of soil, surface water, and groundwater sources. Humans, animals, and the environment are frequently exposed to PFAS through food, water, consumer products, as well as waste streams from PFAS-manufacturing industries. PFAS are a large group of synthetic organic fluorinated compounds with widely diverse chemical structures that are extremely resistant to microbial degradation. Their persistence, toxicity to life on earth, bioaccumulation tendencies, and adverse health and ecological effects have earned them a "top priority pollutant" designation by regulatory bodies. Despite that a number of physicochemical methods exist for PFAS treatment, they suffer from major drawbacks regarding high costs, use of high energy and incomplete mineralization (destruction of the CF bond). Consequently, microbial degradation and enzymatic treatment of PFAS are highly sought after as they offer a complete, cheaper, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative. In this critical review, we provide an overview of the classification, properties, and interaction of PFAS within the environment relevant to microbial degradation. We discuss latest developments in the biodegradation of PFAS by microbes, transformation routes, transformation products and degradative enzymes. Finally, we highlight the existing challenges, limitations, and prospects of bioremediation approaches in treating PFAS and proffer possible solutions and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashenafi Berhanu
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China; Haramaya Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Ishmael Mutanda
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Ji Taolin
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Majjid A Qaria
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Daochen Zhu
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
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13
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Wackett LP. Strategies for the Biodegradation of Polyfluorinated Compounds. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081664. [PMID: 36014082 PMCID: PMC9415301 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many cite the strength of C–F bonds for the poor microbial biodegradability of polyfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs). However, commercial PFCs almost invariably contain more functionality than fluorine. The additional functionality provides a weak entry point for reactions that activate C–F bonds and lead to their eventual cleavage. This metabolic activation strategy is common in microbial biodegradation pathways and is observed with aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated compounds, phosphonates and many other compounds. Initial metabolic activation precedes critical bond breakage and assimilation of nutrients. A similar strategy with commercial PFCs proceeds via initial attack at the non-fluorinated functionalities: sulfonates, carboxylates, chlorines, phenyl rings, or phosphonates. Metabolic transformation of these non-fluorinated groups can activate the C–F bonds, allowing more facile cleavage than a direct attack on the C–F bonds. Given that virtually all compounds denoted as “PFAS” are not perfluorinated and are not alkanes, it is posited here that considering their individual chemical classes is more useful for both chemical and microbiological considerations of their fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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14
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Bygd MD, Aukema KG, Richman JE, Wackett LP. Unexpected Mechanism of Biodegradation and Defluorination of 2,2-Difluoro-1,3-Benzodioxole by Pseudomonas putida F1. mBio 2021; 12:e0300121. [PMID: 34781746 PMCID: PMC8593668 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03001-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Perfluorinated carbon atoms in a diether linkage are common in commercial anesthetics, drugs, fungicides, and insecticides. An important chemical group comprising perfluorodiethers is the 2,2-fluoro-1,3-benzodioxole (DFBD) moiety. The fluorine atoms stabilize the molecule by mitigating against metabolism by humans and microbes, as used in drugs and pesticides, respectively. Pseudomonas putida F1 catalyzed defluorination of DFBD at an initial rate of 2,100 nmol/h per mg cellular protein. This is orders of magnitude higher than previously reported microbial defluorination rates with multiply fluorinated carbon atoms. Defluorination rates declined after several hours, and the medium darkened. Significant defluorination activity was observed with cells grown on toluene but not l-arginine. Defluorination required only toluene dioxygenase. Pseudomonas and recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing toluene dioxygenase oxidized DFBD to DFBD-4,5-dihydrodiol. The dihydrodiol could be oxidized to 4,5-dihydroxy-DFBD via the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase from P. putida F1. The dihydrodiol dehydrated with acid to yield a mixture of 4-hydroxy-DFBD and 5-hydroxy-DFBD. All those metabolites retained the difluoromethylene group; no fluoride or dark color was observed. The major route of DFBD-4,5-dihydrodiol decomposition produced fluoride and 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene, or pyrogallol, and that was shown to be the source of the dark colors in the medium. A mechanism for DFBD-4,5-dihydrodiol transformation to two fluoride ions and pyrogallol is proposed. The Pseudomonas genome database and other databases revealed hundreds of bacteria with enzymes sharing high amino acid sequence identity to toluene dioxygenase from P. putida F1, suggesting the mechanism revealed here may apply to the defluorination of DFBD-containing compounds in the environment. IMPORTANCE There are more than 9,000 polyfluorinated compounds developed for commercial use, some negatively impacting human health, and they are generally considered to be resistant to biodegradation. Only a limited number of studies have identified microbes with enzymes sufficiently reactive to defluorinate difluoromethylene carbon groups. The present study examined one important group of commercial fluorinated chemicals and showed its rapid defluorination by a bacterium and its key enzyme, a Rieske dioxygenase. Rieske dioxygenases are common in environmental bacteria, and those closely resembling toluene dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida F1 are candidates for biodegradative defluorination of the common 2,2-fluoro-1,3-benzodioxole (DFBD) moiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison D. Bygd
- Microbial Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kelly G. Aukema
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jack E. Richman
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lawrence P. Wackett
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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15
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Khan MF, Murphy CD. Bacterial degradation of the anti-depressant drug fluoxetine produces trifluoroacetic acid and fluoride ion. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:9359-9369. [PMID: 34755212 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Fluoxetine (FLX) is a blockbuster drug with annual sales in the billions of dollars. Its widespread use has resulted in its detection in water courses, where it impacts aquatic life. Investigations on the biodegradation of FLX by microorganisms are important, since augmentation of secondary wastewater treatment by an effective degrader may be one method of improving the drug's removal. In this paper, we demonstrate that common environmental bacteria can use FLX as a sole carbon and energy source. Investigations into the metabolites formed using fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that the drug was initially hydrolysed to yield 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenol (TFMP) and 3-(methylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-ol. Since the fluorometabolite accumulated, the bacteria presumably used the latter compound for carbon and energy. Further growth studies revealed that TFMP could also be used as a sole carbon and energy source and was most likely catabolised via meta-cleavage, since semialdehyde products were detected in culture supernatants. The final products of the degradation pathway were trifluoroacetate and fluoride ion; the former is a dead-end product and was not further catabolised. Fluoride ion most likely arises owing to spontaneous defluorination of the meta-cleavage products that were shown to be photolabile.Key points• Bacteria can use FLX and TFMP as sole carbon and energy sources for their growth.• Biodegradation produces fluorometabolites that were detected by 19F NMR and GC-MS.• Trifluoroacetic acid and fluoride ion were identified as end products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Faheem Khan
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Cormac D Murphy
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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16
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Perdigão R, Almeida CMR, Magalhães C, Ramos S, Carolas AL, Ferreira BS, Carvalho MF, Mucha AP. Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Seawater: Prospects of Using Lyophilized Native Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2285. [PMID: 34835411 PMCID: PMC8617842 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This work aimed to develop a bioremediation product of lyophilized native bacteria to respond to marine oil spills. Three oil-degrading bacterial strains (two strains of Rhodococcus erythropolis and one Pseudomonas sp.), isolated from the NW Portuguese coast, were selected for lyophilization after biomass growth optimization (tested with alternative carbon sources). Results indicated that the bacterial strains remained viable after the lyophilization process, without losing their biodegradation potential. The biomass/petroleum ratio was optimized, and the bioremediation efficiency of the lyophilized bacterial consortium was tested in microcosms with natural seawater and petroleum. An acceleration of the natural oil degradation process was observed, with an increased abundance of oil-degraders after 24 h, an emulsion of the oil/water layer after 7 days, and an increased removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (47%) after 15 days. This study provides an insight into the formulation and optimization of lyophilized bacterial agents for application in autochthonous oil bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Perdigão
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - C. Marisa R. Almeida
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
| | - Catarina Magalhães
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Ramos
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
| | - Ana L. Carolas
- Biotrend S.A., Biocant Park, Núcleo 04 Lote 2, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal; (A.L.C.); (B.S.F.)
| | - Bruno S. Ferreira
- Biotrend S.A., Biocant Park, Núcleo 04 Lote 2, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal; (A.L.C.); (B.S.F.)
| | - Maria F. Carvalho
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana P. Mucha
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (C.M.R.A.); (C.M.); (S.R.); (M.F.C.); (A.P.M.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
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17
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Abstract
Thousands of heavily fluorinated chemicals are found in the environment, impact human and ecosystem health, and are relatively resistant to biological and chemical degradation. Their persistence in the environment is due to the inability of most microorganisms to biodegrade them. Only a very few examples of polyfluorinated compound biodegradation are known, and the reported rates are very low. This has been mostly attributed to the low chemical reactivity of the C-F bond. This Perspective goes beyond that explanation to highlight microbiological reasons why polyfluorinated compounds resist metabolism. The evolutionary and physiological impediments must be appreciated to better find, study, and harness microbes that degrade polyfluorinated compounds.
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18
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Alexandrino DAM, Mucha AP, Tomasino MP, Almeida CMR, Carvalho MF. Combining Culture-Dependent and Independent Approaches for the Optimization of Epoxiconazole and Fludioxonil-Degrading Bacterial Consortia. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102109. [PMID: 34683430 PMCID: PMC8538489 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Epoxiconazole (EPO) and fludioxonil (FLU) are two widely used fluorinated pesticides known to be highly persistent and with high ecotoxicological potential, turning them into pollutants of concern. This work aimed to optimize two degrading bacterial consortia, previously obtained from an agricultural soil through enrichment with EPO and FLU, by characterizing the contribution of their corresponding bacterial isolates to the biodegradation of these pesticides using both culture-dependent and independent methodologies. Results showed that a co-culture of the strains Hydrogenophaga eletricum 5AE and Methylobacillus sp. 8AE was the most efficient in biodegrading EPO, being able to defluorinate ca. 80% of this pesticide in 28 days. This catabolic performance is likely the result of a commensalistic cooperation, in which H. eletricum may be the defluorinating strain and Methylobacillus sp. may assume an accessory, yet pivotal, catabolic role. Furthermore, 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis revealed that these strains represent a minority in their original consortium, showing that the biodegradation of EPO can be driven by less abundant phylotypes in the community. On the other hand, none of the tested combinations of bacterial strains showed potential to biodegrade FLU, indicating that the key degrading strains were not successfully isolated from the original enrichment culture. Overall, this work shows, for the first time, the direct involvement of two bacterial species, namely H. eletricum and Methylobacillus sp., in the biodegradation of EPO, while also offering insight on how they might cooperate to accomplish this process. Moreover, the importance of adequate culture-dependent approaches in the engineering of microbial consortia for bioremediation purposes is also emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A. M. Alexandrino
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-223401815
| | - Ana P. Mucha
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Paola Tomasino
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
| | - C. Marisa R. Almeida
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
| | - Maria F. Carvalho
- CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; (A.P.M.); (M.P.T.); (C.M.R.A.); (M.F.C.)
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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19
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Che S, Jin B, Liu Z, Yu Y, Liu J, Men Y. Structure-Specific Aerobic Defluorination of Short-Chain Fluorinated Carboxylic Acids by Activated Sludge Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2021; 8:668-674. [PMID: 35316934 PMCID: PMC8936751 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of manmade chemicals that impose emerging environmental concerns. Among them, short-chain per- and polyfluorinated carboxylic acids represent an important subgroup used as building blocks of biologically active chemicals and functional materials. Some are also considered PFAS alternatives, and some could be byproducts of the physicochemical treatment of PFAS. However, little is known about the environmental fate of short-chain fluorinated carboxylic acids (FCAs) and their defluorination/transformation by microorganisms. To fill the knowledge gap, we investigated the structure-reactivity relationships in the aerobic defluorination of C3-C5 FCAs by activated sludge communities. Four structures exhibited greater than 20% defluorination, with 3,3,3-trifluoropropionic acid being almost completely defluorinated. We further analyzed the defluorination/transformation pathways and inferred the structures susceptible to aerobic microbial defluorination. We also demonstrated that the defluorination was via cometabolism. The findings advance the fundamental understanding of aerobic microbial defluorination and help assess the environmental fate of PFAS. Since some short-chain PFAS, such as 3,3,3-trifluoropropionic acid, are the incomplete defluorination byproducts of advanced reduction processes, their defluorination by activated sludge communities sheds light on the development of cost-effective chemical-biological PFAS treatment train systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Che
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Bosen Jin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Zekun Liu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yaochun Yu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jinyong Liu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yujie Men
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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20
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Zhao ZQ, Wei XM, Shen XL, Abbas G, Fan R, Jin Y. Aerobic degradation of 4-fluoroaniline and 2,4-difluoroaniline: performance and microbial community in response to the inocula. Biodegradation 2021; 32:53-71. [PMID: 33428058 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-021-09925-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a distinct inoculum was investigated as an isolated variable within sequencing batch reactors via a comparison of the 4-fluoroaniline (4-FA) or 2,4-difluoroaniline (2,4-DFA) removal amounts. The inocula were derived from a treatment plant for treating pharmaceutical wastewater plus a small amount of municipal sewage (PMS), a treatment plant for treating fluoridated hydrocarbon wastewater (FHS), and a treatment plant for treating the comprehensive wastewater in an industrial park (CIS). There were slight differences among the degradation patterns of the 4-FA for the three inocula, whether during the enrichment period or the high concentration shock period. In contrast, it was observed that the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DFA initially varied with the inocula. The FHS-derived inoculum was determined to be optimal, exhibiting the earliest degradation reaction only after an acclimation of 7 days had the highest degradation rate constant of 0.519 h-1, and had the fastest recovery time of three weeks after high concentration shock. Additionally, compared with the PMS-derived inoculum, the CIS-derived inoculum exhibited an earlier degradation reaction within three weeks, and a higher microbial diversity, but a lower shock resistance and degradation rate constant of 0.257 h-1. High-throughput sequencing demonstrated that each final consortium was different in composition, and the microbial consortia developed well on the inoculum and substrate. In comparison of the similarity among the three 2,4-DFA enrichment cultures, the higher similarity (63.9-70.0%) among three final consortia enriching with 4-FA was observed. The results indicated that the inoculum played an important role in the degradation of FAs and the microbial bacterial communities of final consortia, and the effect extent might well depend on the fluorinated level of FAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Qing Zhao
- College of Chemical & Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China. .,College of Environment & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Meng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region & Changsha Research Station for Agricultural and Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hunan, 410125, China
| | - Xiao-Li Shen
- College of Chemical & Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ghulam Abbas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, 50700, Pakistan
| | - Rui Fan
- College of Chemical & Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Jin
- College of Chemical & Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China
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21
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Optimization of an Autochthonous Bacterial Consortium Obtained from Beach Sediments for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w13010066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Oil spill pollution remains a serious concern in marine environments and the development of effective oil bioremediation techniques are vital. This work is aimed at developing an autochthonous hydrocarbon-degrading consortium with bacterial strains with high potential for hydrocarbons degradation, optimizing first the growth conditions for the consortium, and then testing its hydrocarbon-degrading performance in microcosm bioremediation experiments. Bacterial strains, previously isolated from a sediment and cryopreserved in a georeferenced microbial bank, belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter. Microcosms were assembled with natural seawater and petroleum, for testing: natural attenuation (NA); biostimulation (BS) (nutrients addition); bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in petroleum (BA/P) and bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in acetate (BA/A). After 15 days, a clear blending of petroleum with seawater was observed in BS, BA/P and BA/A but not in NA. Acetate was the best substrate for consortium growth. BA/A showed the highest hydrocarbons degradation (66%). All bacterial strains added as inoculum were recovered at the end of the experiment. This study provides an insight into the capacity of autochthonous communities to degrade hydrocarbons and on the use of alternative carbon sources for bacterial biomass growth for the development of bioremediation products to respond to oil spills.
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22
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Freeling F, Behringer D, Heydel F, Scheurer M, Ternes TA, Nödler K. Trifluoroacetate in Precipitation: Deriving a Benchmark Data Set. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11210-11219. [PMID: 32806887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Although precipitation is considered to be the most important diffuse source of trifluoroacetate (TFA) to the nonmarine environment, information regarding the wet deposition of TFA as well as general data on the spatial and temporal variations in TFA concentration in precipitation is scarce. This is the first study to provide a comprehensive overview of the occurrence of TFA in precipitation by a systematic and nation-wide field monitoring campaign. In total, 1187 precipitation samples, which were collected over the course of 12 consecutive months at eight locations across Germany, were analyzed. The median, the estimated average, and the precipitation-weighted average TFA concentration of all analyzed wet deposition samples were 0.210, 0.703, and 0.335 μg/L, respectively. For Germany, an annual wet deposition flux of 190 μg/m2 or approximately 68 t was calculated for the sampling period from February 2018 to January 2019. The campaign revealed a pronounced seasonality of the TFA concentration and wet deposition flux of collected samples. Correlation analysis suggested an enhanced transformation of TFA precursors in the troposphere in the summertime due to higher concentrations of photochemically generated oxidants such as hydroxyl radicals, ultimately leading to an enhanced atmospheric deposition of TFA during summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finnian Freeling
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - David Behringer
- Öko-Recherche Büro für Umweltforschung und-beratung GmbH, Münchener Strasse 23a, 60329 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Felix Heydel
- Öko-Recherche Büro für Umweltforschung und-beratung GmbH, Münchener Strasse 23a, 60329 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Marco Scheurer
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thomas A Ternes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Karsten Nödler
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
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23
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Alexandrino DAM, Mucha AP, Almeida CMR, Carvalho MF. Microbial degradation of two highly persistent fluorinated fungicides - epoxiconazole and fludioxonil. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 394:122545. [PMID: 32213384 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of two highly persistent fluorinated fungicides, epoxiconazole (EPO) and fludioxonil (FLU), by microbial consortia enriched from estuarine sediment and agricultural soil is reported. After an enrichment period of 6 months, four microbial consortia were able to completely remove and defluorinate the fungicides in co-metabolic conditions. Defluorination was biologically mediated and results suggest it is not a primary catabolic step, as fungicide removal was always faster than its defluorination. Three of the four enriched consortia had similar biodegradation performances in the absence of a co-substrate. Biodegradation kinetics revealed that microbial degradation followed a first-order kinetics, with cultures being capable of biodegrading concentrations up to 10 mg L-1 of EPO or FLU, in a maximum of 21 days. Estimated half-life values for these compounds were significantly lower than those reported in literature, highlighting the unique metabolic performance of the obtained consortia. Analysis of their microbial composition revealed that they integrate several bacterial species belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum, with the most common genera being Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum and Comamonas. This is the first study providing clear evidence on the biodegradation of EPO and FLU, opening doors for the design of bioremediation technologies for the recovery of ecosystems polluted with such recalcitrant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A M Alexandrino
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal; Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana P Mucha
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171, Porto, Portugal
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
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24
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O'Carroll DM, Jeffries TC, Lee MJ, Le ST, Yeung A, Wallace S, Battye N, Patch DJ, Manefield MJ, Weber KP. Developing a roadmap to determine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances-microbial population interactions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:135994. [PMID: 31931194 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We collected over 40 groundwater samples from a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impacted legacy fire fighting training area in Canada to develop an in-depth assessment of the relationship between PFAS and in situ microbial communities. Results suggest differential transport of PFAS of differing chain-length and head group. There is also evidence of PFAS degradation, in particular 6:2 FTS degradation. Although PFAS constituents were not major drivers of microbial community structure, the relative abundance of over one hundred individual genera were significantly associated with PFAS chemistry. For example, lineages within the Oxalobacteraceae family had strong negative correlations with PFAS, whilst the Desulfococcus genus has strong positive correlations. Results also suggest a range of genera may have been stimulated at low to mid-range concentrations (e.g., Gordonia and Acidimicrobium), with some genera potentially inhibited at high PFAS concentrations. Any correlations identified need to be further investigated to determine the underlying reasons for observed associations as this is an open field site with the potential for many confounding factors. Positive correlations may ultimately provide important insights related to development of biodegradation technologies for PFAS impacted sites, while negative correlations further improve our understanding of the potential negative effects of PFAS on ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis M O'Carroll
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | | | - Matthew J Lee
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Song Thao Le
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Anna Yeung
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Sarah Wallace
- Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Nick Battye
- Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - David J Patch
- Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Michael J Manefield
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kela P Weber
- Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada
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Yu LY, Huang HB, Wang XH, Li S, Feng NX, Zhao HM, Huang XP, Li YW, Li H, Cai QY, Mo CH. Novel phosphate-solubilising bacteria isolated from sewage sludge and the mechanism of phosphate solubilisation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 658:474-484. [PMID: 30579204 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A great amount of insoluble phosphate in agricultural soils is not available for crops. Three strains of bacteria (Bacillus megaterium YLYP1, Pseudomonas prosekii YLYP6 and Pseudomonas sp. YLYP29) isolated from activated sludge and soil could efficiently solubilise tricalcium phosphate. In particular, the novel strain P. prosekii YLYP6 produced 716 mg L-1 of available phosphate within 6 days under the optimal culture conditions [20 °C, pH 7.9, inoculum size of 0.5% (v:v)] determined by response surface methodology. P. prosekii YLYP6 demonstrated efficient phosphate solubilisation in response to broad variations in pH (5-9) and temperature (15-35 °C). The phosphate solubilisation curves of the strains fit well with a first-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.939), with a half-life of 1.51-5.94 d for 5.0 g L-1 calcium phosphate. Continuous culture experiments combined with scanning electron microscopic observations and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that 2,3-dimethylfumaric acid, gluconic and N-butyl-tert-butylamine that were produced by P. prosekii YLYP6 were responsible for phosphate solubilisation by supplying H+ ions and organic anions. Efficient phosphate solubilisation in actual soil by P. prosekii YLYP6 demonstrated the strong application potential to reduce the use of chemical P fertilisers and the resulting agricultural nonpoint pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le-Yi Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - He-Biao Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Sha Li
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Nai-Xian Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hai-Ming Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xian-Pei Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yan-Wen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hui Li
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Quan-Ying Cai
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ce-Hui Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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Dorgerloh U, Becker R, Kaiser M. Evidence for the Formation of Difluoroacetic Acid in Chlorofluorocarbon-Contaminated Ground Water. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24061039. [PMID: 30875997 PMCID: PMC6471106 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The concentrations of difluoroacetic acid (DFA) and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in rainwater and surface water from Berlin, Germany resembled those reported for similar urban areas, and the TFA/DFA ratio in rainwater of 10:1 was in accordance with the literature. In contrast, nearby ground water historically contaminated with 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane (R113) displayed a TFA/DFA ratio of 1:3. This observation is discussed versus the inventory of microbial degradation products present in this ground water along with the parent R113 itself. A microbial transformation of chlorotrifluoroethylene (R1113) to DFA so far has not been reported for environmental media, and is suggested based on well-established mammalian metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Dorgerloh
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, BAM, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Roland Becker
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, BAM, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Melanie Kaiser
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, BAM, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
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27
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Duarte P, Almeida CMR, Fernandes JP, Morais D, Lino M, Gomes CR, Carvalho MF, Mucha AP. Bioremediation of bezafibrate and paroxetine by microorganisms from estuarine sediment and activated sludge of an associated wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 655:796-806. [PMID: 30577142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The present work aimed to explore the potential of autochthonous microorganisms from an urban estuary and from activated sludge of an associated wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), for biodegradation of an antidepressant drug, paroxetine, and on a cholesterol-lowering agent, bezafibrate. These compounds were chosen as representatives of extensively used pharmaceuticals. Autochthonous microorganisms from the indicated sources were exposed to the target pharmaceuticals (1 mg/L) in co-metabolism with sodium acetate (500 mg/L) along a two-weeks period, for a total of 7 two-weeks periods (here referred as cycles). Exposures were carried out in batch mode, under different incubation conditions (agitation vs. static). Removal of pharmaceuticals was monitored at the end of each cycle, by analysing the culture medium. For paroxetine, fluoride ion release was also followed as an indicator of defluorination of the molecule. The structure of the bacterial communities was analysed by ARISA (Automated rRNA Intergenic Spacer Analysis), at the beginning of the experiment and at the end of the first and the last cycles to identify substantial changes associated with the time of exposure, the incubation conditions and the presence and type of pharmaceuticals. Incubation conditions affected not only the bacterial community structure, but also the biodegradation efficiency. At the beginning of the experiment, removal of target pharmaceuticals was found to be lower under agitation than under static conditions, but at the end of the experiment, results showed high removal of the pharmaceuticals from the culture medium (>97%) under both conditions, mainly by microbiological processes. For paroxetine, adsorption and abiotic processes also had an important influence on its removal, but defluorination only occurred in the presence of microorganisms. These results highlight that autochthonous microorganisms from estuarine sediments and WWTP sludge have high ability to remove the selected pharmaceuticals with relevant implications for the development of new bioremediation tools for environmental restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Duarte
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - Joana P Fernandes
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Daniela Morais
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Lino
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carlos R Gomes
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Ana P Mucha
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
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28
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Santos F, Mucha AP, Alexandrino DAM, Almeida CMR, Carvalho MF. Biodegradation of enrofloxacin by microbial consortia obtained from rhizosediments of two estuarine plants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 231:1145-1153. [PMID: 30602239 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the potential of microbial communities from the rhizosediment of two plants - Phragmites australis and Juncus maritimus - occurring in an estuarine area subjected to a high anthropogenic impact, to biodegrade ENR, a commonly used veterinary antibiotic. An enrichment process with 1 mgL-1 of ENR was conducted during ca. 9 months, using acetate as a co-substrate. After this, the enriched microbial consortia were challenged with higher ENR concentrations of 2 and 3 mgL-1. Microbial cultures enriched with 1 mgL-1 of ENR were capable of biodegrading this antibiotic, though not completely. By the end of the enrichment phase, microbial cultures were defluorinating an average of 50% of the ENR supplemented. Higher ENR concentrations led to lower biodegradation performances, suggesting a possible toxic/inhibitory effect in the microbial cultures. Phylogenetic identification of the microorganisms isolated from microbial cultures enriched with ENR revealed a high taxonomical diversity, with microorganisms belonging mainly to Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. Assemblage of the obtained isolated strains (according to the enriched cultures from which they were isolated) revealed that the resulting consortia were also capable of degrading ENR, indicating that the main microbial players in the biodegradation of this antibiotic were isolated. These consortia also showed to be more robust to degrade higher concentrations of ENR than the corresponding enriched cultures. This study shows that microorganisms derived from rhizosediments of the selected plants, exhibit capacity to biodegrade ENR, though not completely for the concentrations tested, and may be further explored for the development of bioremediation strategies for the treatment of this antibiotic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Santos
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 790, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana P Mucha
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Diogo A M Alexandrino
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
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29
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Harrabi M, Alexandrino DAM, Aloulou F, Elleuch B, Liu B, Jia Z, Almeida CMR, Mucha AP, Carvalho MF. Biodegradation of oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin by autochthonous microbial communities from estuarine sediments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 648:962-972. [PMID: 30144764 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This work investigated the potential of microbial communities native to an estuarine environment to biodegrade enrofloxacin (ENR) and oxytetracycline (OXY). Sediments collected from two sites in the Douro river estuary (Porto, Portugal) were used as inocula for the biodegradation experiments. Experiments were carried out for one month, during which ENR and OXY (1 mg L-1) were supplemented individually or in mixture to the cultures at 10-day intervals. Acetate (400 mg L-1) was added to the cultures every 3 days to support microbial growth. A series of experimental controls were established in parallel to determine the influence of abiotic breakdown and adsorption in the removal of the antibiotics. Removal of antibiotics was followed by measuring their concentration in the culture medium. Additionally, next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon was employed to understand how microbial communities responded to the presence of the antibiotics. At the end of the biodegradation experiments, microbial cultures derived from the two estuarine sediments were able to remove up to 98% of ENR and over 95% of OXY. The mixture of antibiotics did not affect their removal. ENR was removed mainly by biodegradation, while abiotic mechanisms were found to have a higher influence in the removal of OXY. Both antibiotics adsorbed at different extents to the estuarine sediments used as inocula but exhibited a higher affinity to the sediment with finer texture and higher organic matter content. The presence of ENR and OXY in the culture media influenced the dynamics of the microbial communities, resulting in a lower microbial diversity and richness and in the predominance of bacterial species belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria. Therefore, microbial communities native from estuarine environments have potential to respond to the contamination caused by antibiotics and may be considered for the recovering of impacted environments through bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malek Harrabi
- National School of Engineer of Sfax, Soukra Km 3.5 B.P. 1173-3038 Sfax,Tunisia
| | - Diogo A M Alexandrino
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fatma Aloulou
- National School of Engineer of Sfax, Soukra Km 3.5 B.P. 1173-3038 Sfax,Tunisia
| | - Boubaker Elleuch
- National School of Engineer of Sfax, Soukra Km 3.5 B.P. 1173-3038 Sfax,Tunisia
| | - Bei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhongjun Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Ana P Mucha
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
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30
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Palmer-Brown W, de Melo Souza PL, Murphy CD. Cyhalothrin biodegradation in Cunninghamella elegans. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:1414-1421. [PMID: 30426373 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3689-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The insecticide λ-cyhalothrin was incubated with planktonic and biofilm cultures of the fungus Cunninghamella elegans. 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that the compound was initially biosorbed to the biomass and more slowly degraded by the fungus. Furthermore, the presence of trifluoromethyl-containing metabolites was observed. Analysis of culture extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified non-fluorinated metabolites that suggested the likely catabolic pathway. The hydroxylated metabolites were probably generated from the action of cytochromes P450 (CYPs), as the presence of CYP inhibitors resulted in the absence of biodegradation. Planktonic cells were measurably faster at degrading the pesticide compared with biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Palmer-Brown
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | | | - Cormac D Murphy
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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