Perchlorate reduction by a mixed culture in an up-flow anaerobic fixed bed reactor

Perchlorate reduction kinetics and genome-resolved metagenomics identify metabolic interactions in acclimated saline lake perchlorate-reducing consortia

Perchlorate is a widely detected environmental contaminant in surface and underground water, that seriously impacts human health by inhibiting the uptake of thyroidal radioiodine. Perchlorate reduction due to saline lake microorganisms is not as well understood as that in marine environments. In this study, we enriched a perchlorate-reducing microbial consortium collected from saline lake sediments and found that the perchlorate reduction kinetics of the enriched consortium fit the Michaelis-Menten kinetics well, with a maximum specific substrate reduction rate (q_max) of 0.596 ± 0.001 mg ClO₄^-/mg DW/h and half-saturation constant (K_s) of 16.549 ± 0.488 mg ClO₄^-/L. Furthermore, we used improved metagenome binning to reconstruct high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes from the metagenomes of the microbial consortia, including the perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) Dechloromonas agitata and Wolinella succinogenes, with the genome of W. succinogenes harboring complete functional genes for perchlorate reduction being the first recovered. Given that the electrons were directly transferred to the electronic carrier cytochrome c-553 from the quinone pool, the electron transfer pathway of W. succinogenes was shorter and more efficient than the canonical pattern. This finding provides a theoretical basis for microbial remediation of sites contaminated by high concentrations of perchlorate. Metagenomic binning and metatranscriptomic analyses revealed the gene transcription variation of perchlorate reductase pcr and chlorite dismutase cld by PRB and the synergistic metabolic mechanism.

Impact of Acetate in Reduction of Perchlorate by Mixed Microbial Culture under the Influence of Nitrate and Sulfate

The biological reduction of slow degradation contaminants such as perchlorate (ClO4−) is considered to be a promising water treatment technology. The process is based on the ability of a specific mixed microbial culture to use perchlorate as an electron acceptor in the absence of oxygen. In this study, batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of nitrate on perchlorate reduction, the kinetic parameters of the Monod equation and the optimal ratio of acetate to perchlorate for the perchlorate reducing bacterial consortium. The results of this study suggest that acclimated microbial cultures can be applied to treat wastewater containing high concentrations of perchlorate. Reactor experiments were carried out with different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) to determine the optimal operating conditions. A fixed optimal HRT and the effect of nitrate on perchlorate reduction were investigated with various concentrations of the electron donor. The results showed that perchlorate reduction occurred after nitrate removal. Moreover, the presence of sulfate in wastewater had no effect on the perchlorate reduction. However, it had little effect on biomass concentration in the presence of nitrate during exposure to a mixed microbial culture, considering the nitrate as the inhibitor of perchlorate reduction by reducing the degradation rate. The batch scale experiment results illustrated that for efficient operation of perchlorate reduction, the optimal acetate to perchlorate ratio of 1.4:1.0 would be enough. Moreover, these experiments found the following results: the kinetic parameters equivalent to Y = 0.281 mg biomass/mg perchlorate, Ks = 37.619 mg/L and qmax = 0.042 mg perchlorate/mg biomass/h. In addition, anoxic–aerobic experimental reactor results verify the optimal HRT of 6 h for continuous application. Furthermore, it also illustrated that using 600 mg/L of acetate as a carbon source is responsible for 100% of nitrate reduction with less than 50% of the perchlorate reduction, whereas at 1000 mg/L acetate, approximately 100% reduction was recorded.

Catalytic enhancement of hydrogenation reduction and oxygen transfer reaction for perchlorate removal: A review

Perchlorate is the main contaminant in surface water and groundwater, and it is of current urgency to remove due to its high water solubility, mobility, and endocrine-disrupting properties. The conversion of perchlorate into harmless chloride ions by using appropriate catalysts is the most promising and effective route to overcome its high activation energy and kinetic stability. Perchlorate is usually reduced in two ways: (1) indirect reduction via oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction or (2) hydrodeoxygenation through highly active reducing H atoms. This paper discusses the mechanisms underlying both the OAT reaction catalyzed by homogenous rhenium-oxo complexes or biological Mo-based enzymes and the heterogeneous hydrogenation for perchlorate reduction. Particular emphasis is placed on the factors affecting the catalytic process and the synergy between the (1) and (2) reactions. For completeness, the applicability of different electrolysis devices, electrodes, and bioreactors is also illustrated. Finally, this article gives prospects for the synthesis and application of catalysts in different pathways.

Managing the interactions between sulfate- and perchlorate-reducing bacteria when using hydrogen-fed biofilms to treat a groundwater with a high perchlorate concentration

A groundwater containing an unusually high concentration (∼4000 μg/L) of perchlorate (ClO4(-)) and significant (∼60 mg/L) sulfate (SO4(2-)) was treated with hydrogen (H2)-fed biofilms. The objective was to manage the interactions between sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) by controlling the H2-delivery capacity to achieve ClO4(-) reduction to below the detection limit (4 μg/L). Complete ClO4(-) reduction with minimized SO4(2-) reduction was achieved by using two membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs) in series. The lead MBfR removed >96% ClO4(-), and the lag MBfR further reduced ClO4(-) to below the detection limit. SO4(2-) reduction ranged from 10 to 60%, and lower SO4(2-) reduction corresponded to lower H2 availability (i.e., lower H2 pressure or membranes with lower H2-delivery capacity). Minimizing SO4(2-) reduction improved ClO4(-) removal by increasing the fraction of PRB in the biofilm. High SO4(2-) flux correlated with enrichment of Desulfovibrionales, autotrophic SRB that can compete strongly with denitrifying bacteria (DB) and PRB. Increased SO4(2-) reduction also led to enrichment of: 1) Ignavibacteriales and Thiobacteriales, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria that allow sulfur cycling in the biofilm; 2) Bacteroidales, heterotrophic microorganisms likely using organic sources of carbon (e.g., acetate); and 3) Spirochaetales, which potentially utilize soluble microbial products (SMPs) from autotrophic SRB to produce acetate.

Ion exchange membrane bioreactor for treating groundwater contaminated with high perchlorate concentrations

Perchlorate contamination of groundwater is a worldwide concern. The most cost efficient treatment for high concentrations is biological treatment. In order to improve and increase the acceptance of this treatment, there is a need to reduce the contact between micro organisms in the treatment unit and the final effluent. An ion exchange membrane bioreactor (IEMB), in which treated water is separated from the bioreactor, was suggested for this purpose. In this study, the IEMB's performance was studied at a concentration as high as 250mgL(-1) that were never studied before. In the bioreactor, glycerol was used as a low cost and nontoxic carbon and energy source for the reduction of perchlorate to chloride. We found that high perchlorate concentrations in the feed rendered the anion exchange membrane significantly less permeable to perchlorate. However, the presence of bacteria in the bio-compartment significantly increased the flux through the membrane by more than 25% in comparison to pure Donnan dialysis. In addition, the results suggested minimal secondary contamination (<3mgCL(-1)) of the treated water with the optimum feed of carbon substrate. Our results show that IEMB can efficiently treat groundwater contaminated with perchlorate as high as 250mgL(-1).

Fate of microconstituents in biosolids composted in an aerated silage bag

Although most composting studies report pathogen concentrations, little is known about the fate of Endocrine Disruptor Chemicals (EDCs) during composting. In this study, a positively aerated polyethylene bag composting system was filled with a mixture of woodchips and limed biosolids from a large Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) to study the removal efficiency of two different groups of EDCs. Two antibacterial compounds, Triclocarban (TCC) and Triclosan (TCS), and a TCS byproduct, Methyltriclosan (MeTCS), as well as seven congeners of flame retardants known as PBDEs (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers) were studied during two phases of composting: 1) a thermophilic phase, in which positive mechanical aeration, pushing air into and through the materials matrix, was conducted for 2 months; and 2) a curing and stabilization phase in which no mechanical aeration was provided and the bag was opened to ambient passive aeration to simulate storage conditions for seven months. Our results showed that while TCC concentrations remained constant, TCS degradation took place during both phases. The degradation of TCS was corroborated by the formation of MeTCS in both phases. The TCS concentrations decreased from 18409 ± 1,877 to 11955 ± 288 ng g(-1) dry wt. during the thermophilic phase and declined from 11,955 ± 288 to 7,244 ± 909. ng g(-1) dry wt. by the end of the curing phase. Thus, slightly greater TCS transformation occurred during the second than during the first (35.1 vs. 39.4%). MeTCS concentrations increased from 189.3 ± 8.6 to 364.6 ± 72.5 ng g(-1) dry wt. during the first phase and reached 589.0 ± 94.9 ng g(-1) dry wt. at the end of the second phase. PBDEs concentrations were below quantification limits for all but two of the congeners analyzed (BDE-47 and BDE-99). PBDE concentrations were measured at the end of the first phase only and were comparable to initial concentrations.

Building robust functionality in synthetic circuits using engineered feedback regulation

The ability to engineer novel functionality within cells, to quantitatively control cellular circuits, and to manipulate the behaviors of populations, has many important applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. These applications are only beginning to be explored. In this review, we advocate the use of feedback control as an essential strategy for the engineering of robust homeostatic control of biological circuits and cellular populations. We also describe recent works where feedback control, implemented in silico or with biological components, was successfully employed for this purpose.

Detecting oxidized contaminants in water using sulfur-oxidizing bacteria

For the rapid and reliable detection of oxidized contaminants (i.e., nitrite, nitrate, perchlorate, dichromate) in water, a novel toxicity detection methodology based on sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) has been developed. The methodology exploits the ability of SOB to oxidize elemental sulfur to sulfuric acid in the presence of oxygen. The reaction results in an increase in electrical conductivity (EC) and a decrease in pH. When oxidized contaminants were added to the system, the effluent EC decreased and the pH increased due to the inhibition of the SOB. We found that the system can detect these contaminants in the 5-50 ppb range (in the case of NO(3)(-), 10 ppm was detected), which is lower than many whole-cell biosensors to date. At low pH, the oxidized contaminants are mostly in their acid or nonpolar, protonated form which act as uncouplers and make the SOB biosensor more sensitive than other whole-cell biosensors which operate at higher pH values where the contaminants exist as dissociated anions. The SOB biosensor can detect toxicity on the order of minutes to hours which can serve as an early warning so as to not pollute the environment and affect public health.

Perchlorate degradation using an indigenous microbial consortium predominantly Burkholderia sp

An acclimatized mixed microbial consortium, predominantly Burkholderia sp., was isolated from an activated sludge and investigated for its potential to degrade perchlorate in batch shake flasks. The 16S rDNA analysis of the predominant strain in the mixed culture showed the closest homology (98%) with Burkholderia sp. ATSB16. For the first time mixed culture with predominantly Burkholderia sp., has been reported to be involved in perchlorate degradation. The substrate perchlorate was completely utilized within 10 days even at a high concentration of 1000 mg L(-1) utilizing succinate as the sole carbon-source. Compared to other carbon-sources tested in this study, succinate proved to be better for perchlorate degradation by the mixed consortium. The optimum conditions for perchlorate degradation by the enriched mixed culture were found to be 30 °C and pH 7.0. The effect of co-pollutants on perchlorate removal by the mixed culture was also investigated at a mixed perchlorate concentration of 500 mg L(-1). Results showed that the degradation of perchlorate was affected to different extent due to the presence of an equal concentration (500 mg L(-1)of each) of co-pollutants such as nitrate, nitrite, chlorate and phosphate.

Dissimilatory perchlorate reduction: a review

In the United States anthropogenic activities are mainly responsible for the wide spread perchlorate contamination of drinking water, surface water, groundwater, and soil. Even at microgram levels, perchlorate causes toxicity to flora and fauna and affects growth, metabolism and reproduction in humans and animals. Reports of antithyroid effects of perchlorate and its detection in common food items have raised serious public health concerns, leading to extensive decontamination efforts in recent years. Several physico-chemical removal and biological decontamination processes are being developed. Although promising, ion exchange is a non-selective and incomplete process as it merely transfers perchlorate from water to the resin. The perchlorate-laden spent resins (perchlorate 200-500 mg L(-1)) require regeneration resulting in production of concentrated brine (6-12% NaCl) or caustic waste streams. On the contrary, biological reduction completely degrades perchlorate into O(2) and innocuous Cl(-). High reduction potential of ClO(4)(-)/Cl(-) (E° =∼ 1.28 V) and ClO(3)(-)/Cl(-) pairs (E° =1.03 V) makes these contaminants thermodynamically ideal e(-) acceptors for microbial reduction. In recent years unique dissimilatory perchlorate reducing bacteria have been isolated and detailed studies pertaining to their microbiological, biochemical, genetics and phylogenetic aspects have been undertaken which is the subject of this review article while the various physico-chemical removal and biological reduction processes have been reviewed by others.

Method for evaluating anaerobic digester performance

The degradation rate and efficiency of digestion processes is typically measured by introducing a substrate or pollutant into a digester and then monitoring the effluents for the pollutant or substrate, a costly and slow process. A new method for rapid measurement of the rates and efficiencies of anaerobic degradation of pollutants and lignocellulose substrates from various pretreatments is described. The method uses micro-reactors (10-30mL) containing a mixed culture of anaerobic bacteria obtained from a working anaerobic digester. The rate of degradation of pollutants and metabolic heat rate are measured in parallel sets of micro-reactors. Measurement of metabolic rate and pollutant degradation simultaneously is an effective means of rapidly examining pollutant degradation on a micro-scale. Calorimetric measurements alone allow rapid, relative evaluation of various substrate pretreatment methods.

Bioregeneration of perchlorate-laden gel-type anion-exchange resin in a fluidized bed reactor

Selective ion-exchange resins are very effective to remove perchlorate from contaminated waters. However, these resins are currently incinerated after one time use, making the ion-exchange process incomplete and unsustainable for perchlorate removal. Resin bioregeneration is a new concept that combines ion-exchange with biological reduction by directly contacting perchlorate-laden resins with a perchlorate-reducing bacterial culture. In this research, feasibility of the bioregeneration of perchlorate-laden gel-type anion-exchange resin was investigated. Bench-scale bioregeneration experiments, using a fluidized bed reactor and a bioreactor, were performed to evaluate the feasibility of the process and to gain insight into potential mechanisms that control the process. The results of the bioregeneration tests suggested that the initial phase of the bioregeneration process might be controlled by kinetics, while the later phase seems to be controlled by diffusion. Feasibility study showed that direct bioregeneration of gel-type resin was effective in a fluidized-bed reactor, and that the resin could be defouled, reused, and repeatedly regenerated using the method applied in this research.

Influence of nitrate, sulfate and operational parameters on the bioreduction of perchlorate using an up-flow packed bed reactor at high salinity

In this study we have investigated whether electron acceptors, such as nitrate or sulphate ions, competitively inhibit the reduction of perchlorate in brine in continuous up-flow packed bed bioreactors. The effect of pH and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the reduction of perchlorate at high salinity has also been examined. Reduction of perchlorate was found to be only moderately influenced by nitrate (under 163 mg N L-'), implying that there was no significant microbial competition for electron acceptors. As a result of microbial diversity, there were few differences between microbial communities fed with a variety of media, suggesting that most nitrate-reducing bacteria are able to reduce perchlorate at high salinity. Reduction of perchlorate was almost complete at relatively high sulfate levels (1000 mg L(-1)), neutral pH (6-8) and relatively long HRTs (> 10 h).

Biological reduction of nitrate and perchlorate in brine water using up-flow packed bed reactors

Denitrifying up-flow packed bed bioreactors (UPBRs) were evaluated for their capacity to simultaneously remove nitrate and perchlorate from ion exchange regenerant brines. A continuous-flow UPBR, which was inoculated with denitrifying bacteria obtained from a municipal wastewater plant, completely removed perchlorate as well as nitrate in conditions of up to 10% salinity. When nitrate and perchlorate were added to the UPBR, they were removed immediately. To investigate factors that affected the contaminant removal, acetate (as an electron donor) and sulfate (as a competing electron acceptor) were added at different salinities. Lower carbon loading decreased the nitrate and perchlorate reductions, but increased sulfate loading did not decrease the reductions of nitrate and perchlorate. In conclusion, the UPBR is a useful and powerful technology that simultaneously removes nitrate and perchlorate in brine.

Kinetics of a chlorate-accumulating, perchlorate-reducing bacterium

Kinetics parameters for perchlorate and chlorate reduction were determined for Dechlorosoma sp. HCAP-C, also known as Dechlorosoma sp. PCC, a novel perchlorate-reducing bacterium (PCRB) that accumulates significant amounts of chlorate during perchlorate reduction. This is the first report of such behavior, and we hypothesized the perchlorate reduction kinetics would be markedly different from other PCRB. In batch tests with initial perchlorate concentrations ranging from 200 to around 1400 mg/L, maximum chlorate accumulation ranged from 41 to 279 mg/L, and were consistently around 20% of the initial perchlorate concentration. For perchlorate, parameters were determined using a competitive inhibition model. The maximum specific substrate degradation rate qmaxP was 11.5mgClO4-/mgdry weight (DW)-d, and the half-maximum rate constant KP was 193 mgClO4-/L. For chlorate, the qmaxC was 8.3 mgClO3-/mgDW-d and the KC was 58.3 mgClO3-/L. The high KP values relative to conventional PCRB, values suggests that HCAP-C does not play a significant role at low perchlorate concentrations. However, the relatively high qmaxP, and the potential for syntrophic relationships with chlorate-reducing bacteria that relieve the effects of chlorate inhibition, suggest that HCAP-C could play a significant role at high perchlorate concentrations.

Transformation of 4-nonylphenol isomers during biosolids composting

4-Nonylphenol, a degradation intermediate of commercial surfactant and known endocrine disruptor, has been frequently detected at levels up to several thousand microgl(-1) in surface waters and up to several hundred mgkg(-1) (dry weight) in soil and sediment samples. Large quantities of 4-NP can be quickly sorbed by the organic rich solid phase during wastewater treatment and are concentrated in biosolids, a possible major source for 4-NP in the environment. Microbial transformation in culture studies followed different mechanisms for different 4-NP isomers, which have different estrogenic activity. Composting is a process of solid matrix transformation where biological activity is enhanced by process control. This approach has been used successfully in remediation of contaminated soils and sludges. In this study, the transformation kinetics of 4-NP and its isomers were characterized during biosolids composting. Five distinctive 4-NP isomer groups with structures relative to alpha- and beta-carbons of the alkyl chain were identified in biosolids. Composting biosolids mixed with wood shaving at a dry weight percentage ratio of 43:57 (C:N ratio of 65:1) removed 80% of the total 4-NP within two weeks. At this biosolids/wood shaving ratio (B:WS), the transformation of total 4-NP and its isomers followed second-order kinetic. Higher B:WS ratios yielded significantly slower 4-NP transformation which followed first-order kinetic. Isomers with alpha-methyl-alpha-propyl structure transformed significantly slower than those with less branched tertiary alpha-carbon and those with secondary alpha-carbon, suggesting isomer-specific degradation of 4-NP during biosolids composting.

Effluent recirculation to improve perchlorate reduction in a fixed biofilm reactor

The effect of effluent recirculation on perchlorate reduction in a nominally plug-flow fixed biofilm reactor was studied in two cases: influent concentrations of 10 and 400 microg/L at low hydraulic loading rates (1.9 and 37.5 m(3)/m(2)/day without and with recirculation, respectively) and after a step increase in perchlorate concentration to 1,000 microg/L at the higher hydraulic loading rate (5 and 100 m(3)/m(2)/day without and with recirculation, respectively). Complete perchlorate reduction was sustained for influent concentrations of 400 and 10 microg/L in both flow regimes at the lower hydraulic loading rates. Reactor tracer profiles showed that biofilm diffusion had a more significant effect on mass transfer in the plug flow reactor compared with recirculation. The recirculation bioreactor acclimated more rapidly to increased hydraulic and perchlorate mass loading rates with significantly lower effluent perchlorate compared to the plug flow reactor: 16 microg/L versus 46 microg/L, respectively, although complete perchlorate removal was not achieved in either flow regime after 21 days acclimation to the higher loading. Total biofilm mass was more uniformly distributed in the recirculation reactor which may have contributed to better performance under increased perchlorate loading.

Bioreactor configurations for ex-situ treatment of perchlorate: a review

The perchlorate anion has been detected in the drinking water of millions of people living in the United States. At perchlorate levels equal to or greater than 1 mg/L and where the water is not immediately used for household purposes, ex-situ biotreatment has been widely applied. The principal objective of this paper was to compare the technical and economic advantages and disadvantages of various bioreactor configurations in the treatment of low- and medium-strength perchlorate-contaminated aqueous streams. The ideal bioreactor configuration for this application should be able to operate efficiently while achieving a long solids retention time, be designed to promote physical-chemical adsorption in addition to biodegradation, and operate under plug-flow hydraulic conditions. To date, the granular activated carbon (GAC) or sand-media-based fluidized bed reactors (FBRs) and GAC, sand-, or plastic-media-based packed bed reactors (PBRs) have been the reactor configurations most widely applied for perchlorate treatment. Only the FBR configuration has been applied commercially. Commercial-scale cost information presented implies no economic advantage for the PBR relative to the FBR configuration. Full-scale application information provides evidence that the FBR is a good choice for treating perchlorate-contaminated aqueous streams.

Influence of electron donor, oxygen, and redox potential on bacterial perchlorate degradation

Experiments were conducted to assess the influence of electron donor, redox potential, and dissolved oxygen on bacterial perchlorate degradation. Microcosms containing a diverse, perchlorate-acclimated, bacterial culture fed lactate at a 1:1 electron donor-to-perchlorate ratio (electron-equivalent basis) degraded perchlorate more slowly (k = 0.038 mg ClO4-/mg VSS h) and to a lesser extent than microcosms fed lactate at 2:1 and 4:1 ratios (k = 0.045 mg ClO4-/mg VSS h). The optimal COD/ClO4- ratio to consume all perchlorate and all electron donor was approximately 1.2 mg COD/mg ClO4-. In experiments where the redox potential was held constant, the extent of perchlorate degradation increased with decreasing redox potential, and 100% removal was only achieved at the lowest redox potential examined (-220 mV); however, perchlorate degradation (32% of added perchlorate) was observed as high as +180 mV. Additions of oxygen to actively degrading treatments did not adversely effect perchlorate degradation. It appears, therefore, that addition of excess electron donor is sufficient to negate potential inhibitory effects of molecular oxygen. If the redox conditions are more oxidized, however, the rate and extent of perchlorate degradation will be significantly decreased. This is the first report of perchlorate degradation under oxidized conditions using an environmentally relevant, diverse, bacterial enrichment culture, and this is also the first report of perchlorate reduction occurring at appreciable dissolved oxygen concentrations in a batch system.

Stimulation and molecular characterization of bacterial perchlorate degradation by plant-produced electron donors

Root homogenate from poplar trees (Populus deltoides x nigra DN34, Imperial Carolina) stimulated perchlorate degradation in microcosms of soil and water samples collected at a perchlorate contaminated site, the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant (LHAAP), located outside Karnack, Texas. Direct use of root products by perchlorate-degrading bacteria was shown for the first time as six pureculture bacteria isolated from LHAAP perchlorate-degrading microcosms degraded perchlorate when given root products as the sole exogenous source of carbon and electron donor. Nonenriched environmental consortia were able to utilize root products for perchlorate degradation, regardless of prior exposure to perchlorate. Microcosms that contained perchlorate-contaminated groundwater (MW-3) or uncontaminated surface water (Harrison Bayou) as inoculum degraded approximately 240 and 160 mg L(-1) perchlorate, respectively, using root products (approximately 440 mg L(-1) as COD) over 38 days. The predominant bacterial species in these aqueous microcosms, identified by DGGE, depended only upon the source inoculum as similar sequences were obtained whether root products or lactate was the electron donor. Sequences from DGGE bands that matched species within Dechloromonas, a genus consisting of many perchlorate degraders, were identified in all perchlorate-degrading microcosms. This study demonstrates the ability of root products to drive perchlorate respiration by bacteria and the potential for successful achievement of perchlorate rhizodegradation using in situ phytoremediation.

Molecular assessment of inoculated and indigenous bacteria in biofilms from a pilot-scale perchlorate-reducing bioreactor

Bioremediation of perchlorate-contaminated groundwater can occur via bacterial reduction of perchlorate to chloride. Although perchlorate reduction has been demonstrated in bacterial pure cultures, little is known about the efficacy of using perchlorate-reducing bacteria as inoculants for bioremediation in the field. A pilot-scale, fixed-bed bioreactor containing plastic support medium was used to treat perchlorate-contaminated groundwater at a site in Southern California. The bioreactor was inoculated with a field-grown suspension of the perchlorate-respiring bacterium Dechlorosoma sp. strain KJ and fed groundwater containing indigenous bacteria and a carbon source amendment. Because the reactor was flushed weekly to remove accumulated biomass, only bacteria capable of growing in biofilms in the reactor were expected to survive. After 26 days of operation, perchlorate was not detected in bioreactor effluent. Perchlorate remained undetected by ion chromatography (detection limit 4 mug L(-1)) during 6 months of operation, after which the reactor was drained. Plastic medium was subsampled from top, middle, and bottom locations of the reactor for shipment on blue ice and storage at -80 degrees C prior to analysis. Microbial community DNA was extracted from successive washes of thawed biofilm material for PCR-based community profiling by 16S-23S ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA). No DNA sequences characteristic of strain KJ were recovered from any RISA bands. The most intense bands yielded DNA sequences with high similarities to Dechloromonas spp., a closely related but different genus of perchlorate-respiring bacteria. Additional sequences from RISA profiles indicated presence of representatives of the low G+C gram-positive bacteria and the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group. Confocal scanning laser microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were also used to examine biofilms using genus-specific 16S ribosomal RNA probes. FISH was more sensitive than RISA profiling in detecting possible survivors from the initial inoculum. FISH revealed that bacteria hybridizing to Dechlorosoma probes constituted <1% of all cells in the biofilms examined, except in the deepest portions where they represented 3-5%. Numbers of bacteria hybridizing to Dechloromonas probes decreased as biofilm depth increased, and they were most abundant at the biofilm surface (23% of all cells). These spatial distribution differences suggested persistence of low numbers of the inoculated strain Dechlorosoma sp. KJ in parts of the biofilm nearest to the plastic medium, concomitant with active colonization or growth by indigenous Dechloromonas spp. in the biofilm exterior. This study demonstrated the feasibility of post hoc analysis of frozen biofilms following completion of field remediation studies.

Numerical model for biological fluidized-bed reactor treatment of perchlorate contaminated groundwater

Biological fluidized-bed reactor (BFBR) treatment with 1.3 mm granular activated carbon as support medium is being used for removal of 2.6 mg/L perchlorate from contaminated groundwater in California. The California drinking-water action level of 4 microg/L for perchlorate requires 99.9% perchlorate removal. Sufficient ethanol, the electron donor, is added to remove oxygen and nitrate as well as perchlorate, as all three serve as electron acceptors, but with biological preference for oxygen and nitrate. A numerical BFBR model based upon basic physical, chemical, and biological processes including reaction stoichiometry, biofilm kinetics, and sequential electron acceptor usage was developed and evaluated with the full-scale treatment results. A key fitting parameter was bacterial detachment rate, which impacts reaction stoichiometry. For best model fit this was found to vary between 0.062 and 0.31 d(-1), with an average of 0.22 d(-1). The model indicates that GAC particle size, reactor diameter, and perchlorate concentration affect BFBR performance. While empty-bed detention time might be decreased somewhat below 10 min by an increase in either GAC particle size or reactor diameter, the current design provides a good factor of safety in operation. With a 10 min detention time, the effluent goal of 4 microg/L should be achievable even with influent perchlorate concentration as high as 10 mg/L.

Perchlorate and nitrate remediation efficiency and microbial diversity in a containerized wetland bioreactor

We have developed a method to remove perchlorate (14-27 microg/L) and nitrate (48 mg/L) from contaminated groundwater using a wetland bioreactor. The bioreactor has operated continuously in a remote field location for more than 2 yr with a stable ecosystem of indigenous organisms. This study assesses the bioreactorfor long-term perchlorate and nitrate remediation by evaluating influent and effluent groundwater for oxidation-reduction conditions and nitrate and perchlorate concentrations. Total community DNA was extracted and purified from 10-g sediment samples retrieved from vertical coring of the bioreactor during winter. Analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of short, 16S rDNA, polymerase-chainreaction products was used to identify dominant microorganisms. Bacteria genera identified were closely affiliated with bacteria widely distributed in soils, mud layers, and fresh water. Of the 17 dominant bands sequenced, most were gram negative and capable of aerobic or anaerobic respiration with nitrate as the terminal electron acceptor (Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Halomonas, and Nitrospira). Several identified genera (Rhizobium, Acinetobactor, and Xanthomonas) are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a combined form (ammonia) usable by host plants. Isolates were identified from the Proteobacteria class, known for the ability to reduce perchlorate. Initial bacterial assessments of sediments confirm the prevalence of facultative anaerobic bacteria capable of reducing perchlorate and nitrate in situ.

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in biosolids

Each year, large quantities of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are used worldwide. Once conveyed to wastewater treatment plants, PPCPs can remain unchanged or undergo partial or complete transformation during wastewater treatment processes before discharge into the environment via effluent and biosolids for land application. Biosolids can be a major sink for some PPCPs. Previous investigations have indicated that land application of biosolids may be a potential important route through which PPCPs enter the environment. However, no information is available on exactly how closely the concentrations of PPCPs in the environmental media are related to the land application of PPCP-containing biosolids. This paper reviews currently available information on the occurrence of PPCPs in biosolids, methods of analysis, the potential fate of PPCPs in biosolids-applied soils, and composting as a potential means for removal of PPCPs from biosolids.

Reduction of bromate to bromide coupled to acetate oxidation by anaerobic mixed microbial cultures

Bromate, a weakly mutagenic oxidizing agent, exists in surface waters. The biodegradation of bromate was investigated by assessing the ability of mixed cultures of micro-organisms for utilization of bromate as electron acceptor and acetate as electron donor. Reduction of bromate was only observed at relatively low concentrations (<3.0 mM) in the absence of molecular oxygen. Under these conditions bromate was reduced stoichiometrically to bromide. Unadapted sludge from an activated sludge treatment plant and a digester reduced bromate without lag period at a constant rate. Using an enrichment culture adapted to bromate, it was demonstrated that bromate was a terminal electron acceptor for anaerobic growth. Approximately 50% of the acetate was utilized for growth with bromate by the enrichment culture. A doubling of 20 h was estimated from a logarithmic growth curve. Other electron acceptors, like perchlorate, chlorate and nitrate, were not reduced or at negligible rates by bromate-utilizing microorganisms.

Cometabolic reduction of bromate by a mixed culture of microorganisms using hydrogen gas in a gas-lift reactor

The discharge of bromate, a suspected carcinogen, will be restricted in the near future. To assess the possibility of biotechnological treatment of bromate-containing wastewaters, the removal of bromate by chlorate-reducing microorganisms was studied. The removal of bromate and chlorate was studied in laboratory gas-lift bioreactors supplied with hydrogen gas as electron donor in the absence of molecular oxygen. In these reactors, bromate was reduced cometabolically by chlorate-respiring microorganisms. To allow the cometabolic reduction of bromate, a chlorate:bromate molar ratio of at least 3:1 was required. The cometabolic conversion permitted almost complete reduction of bromate into bromide at hydraulic retention times of at least 6 h. Optimal bromate reduction activity was observed at approximately 35 degrees C. The pH optimum was between 7 and 8. Bromate reduction in excess of 80% and a maximum bromate reduction rate of 2.3 g l(-1) day(-1) in a pilot-scale gas-lift bioreactor demonstrates that the process is sustainable.

Multielectron atom transfer reactions of perchlorate and other substrates catalyzed by rhenium oxazoline and thiazoline complexes: reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and density functional theory calculations

The title complexes, the Re(O)L(2)(Solv)(+) complexes (L = hoz, 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline(-) or thoz, 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiazoline(-); Solv = H(2)O or CH(3)CN), are effective catalysts for the following fundamental oxo transfer reaction between closed shell molecules: XO + Y --> X + YO. Among suitable oxygen acceptors (Y's) are organic thioethers and phosphines, and among suitable oxo donors (XO's) are pyridine N-oxide (PyO), t-BuOOH, and inorganic oxyanions. One of the remarkable features of these catalysts is their high kinetic competency in effecting perchlorate reduction by pure atom transfer. Oxo transfer to rhenium(V) proceeds cleanly to afford the cationic dioxorhenium(VII) complex Re(O)(2)L(2)(+) in a two-step mechanism, rapid substrate (XO) coordination to give the precursor adduct cis-Re(V)(O)(OX)L(2)(+) followed by oxygen atom transfer (OAT) as the rate determining step. Electronic variations with PyO derivatives demonstrated that electron-withdrawing substituents accelerate the rate of Re(VII)(O)(2)L(2)(+) formation from the precursor adduct cis-Re(V)(O)(OX)L(2)(+). The activation parameters for OAT with picoline N-oxide and chlorate have been measured; the entropic barrier to oxo transfer is essentially zero. The potential energy surface for the reaction of Re(O)(hoz)(2)(OH(2))(+) with PyO was defined, and all pertinent intermediates and transition states along the reaction pathway were located by density functional theory (DFT) calculations (B3LYP/6-31G). In the second half of the catalytic cycle, Re(O)(2)L(2)(+) reacts with oxygen acceptors (Y's) in second-order reactions with associative transition states. The rate of OAT to substrates spans a remarkable range of 0.1-10(6) L mol(-)(1) s(-)(1), and the substrate reactivity order is Ph(3)P > dialkyl sulfides > alkyl aryl sulfides > Ph(2)S approximately DMSO, which demonstrates electrophilic oxo transfer. Competing deactivation and inhibitory pathways as well as their relevant kinetics are also reported.

Effect of O2 exposure on perchlorate reduction by Dechlorosoma sp. KJ

Anaerobic bioreactors have been developed to remove perchlorate from water, but backwashing and operational interruptions can expose biofilms to oxygen. While it is well known that oxygen is a preferential electron acceptor to perchlorate for perchlorate-respiring bacteria, little is known about the effect of oxygen exposure or redox potentials on perchlorate reduction. Four different dissolved oxygen scavengers were tested for their ability to quickly restore anaerobic conditions and allow perchlorate reduction by a facultative, perchlorate respiring bacterium Dechlorosoma sp. KJ. Of the four different oxygen scavengers tested (Oxyrase trade mark, L-cysteine, Na2S and FeS), only Oxyrase trade mark was able to rapidly (<30 min) scavenge dissolved oxygen and allow cell growth. There was no cell growth after addition of Na2S and FeS, and l-cysteine produced a long lag in cell growth. To investigate the effect of dissolved oxygen on perchlorate reduction, anaerobically grown cultures Dechlorosoma sp. KJ, were exposed to dissolved oxygen for various periods ranging from 1 to 32 h. Perchlorate reduction and redox potential were then measured for cells returned to an anaerobic environment containing an oxygen scavenger. It was determined that cells exposed to dissolved oxygen for more than 12h were incapable of reducing perchlorate. Cells exposed to dissolved oxygen for less than 12h quickly reduced the redox potential to negative values (-127 mV to -337 mV) and were able to reduce perchlorate or chlorite. Our results suggest that aeration during backwashing of biofilm reactors, or exposure of perchlorate-degrading cell suspensions to dissolve oxygen for less than 12h, will not be detrimental to the ability of perchlorate-degrading bacteria to use perchlorate as an electron acceptor.

Perchlorate removal in sand and plastic media bioreactors

The treatment of perchlorate-contaminated groundwater was examined using two side-by-side pilot-scale fixed-bed bioreactors packed with sand or plastic media, and bioaugmented with the perchlorate-degrading bacterium Dechlorosoma sp. KJ. Groundwater containing perchlorate (77microg/L), nitrate (4mg-NO(3)/L), and dissolved oxygen (7.5mg/L) was amended with a carbon source (acetic acid) and nutrients (ammonium phosphate). Perchlorate was completely removed (<4microg/L) in the sand medium bioreactor at flow rates of 0.063-0.126L/s (1-2gpm or hydraulic loading rate of 0.34-0.68L/m(2)s) and in the plastic medium reactor at flow rates of <0.063L/s. Acetate in the sand reactor was removed from 43+/-8 to 13+/-8mg/L (after day 100), and nitrate was completely removed in the reactor (except day 159). A regular (weekly) backwashing cycle was necessary to achieve consistent reactor performance and avoid short-circuiting in the reactors. For example, the sand reactor detention time was 18min (hydraulic loading rate of 0.68L/m(2)s) immediately after backwashing, but it decreased to only 10min 1 week later. In the plastic medium bioreactor, the relative changes in detention time due to backwashing were smaller, typically changing from 60min before backwashing to 70min after backwashing. We found that detention times necessary for complete perchlorate removal were more typical of those expected for mixed cultures (10-18min) than those for the pure culture (<1min) reported in our previous laboratory studies. Analysis of intra-column perchlorate profiles revealed that there was simultaneous removal of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and perchlorate, and that oxygen and nitrate removal was always complete prior to complete perchlorate removal. This study demonstrated for the first time in a pilot-scale system, that with regular backwashing cycles, fixed-bed bioreactors could be used to remove perchlorate in groundwater to a suitable level for drinking water.

Mechanistic changes during phytoremediation of perchlorate under different root-zone conditions

Two types of hydroponic bioreactors were used to investigate the mechanisnistic changes during phytoremediation of perchlorate under different root-zone conditions. The bioreactors included: (1) an aerobic ebb-and-flow system planted with six willow trees, and (2) individual willow trees grown in sealed root-zone bioreactors. Rhizosphere probes were used to monitor for the first time during phytoremediation of perchlorate, diurnal swings in oxidation-reduction potential (E(H)), dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH. Radiolabeled (36Cl-labeled) perchlorate was used as a tracer in a subset of the sealed bioreactor experiments to quantify the contribution of phytodegradation and rhizodegradation mechanisms. Rhizodegradation accounted for the removal of 96.1 +/- 4.5% (+/-95% CI) of the initial perchlorate dose in experiments conducted in sealed hydroponic bioreactors with low DO and little or no nitrate N. Meanwhile, the contribution of rhizodegradation decreased to 76 +/- 14% (+/-95% CI) when nitrate (a competing terminal electron acceptor) was provided as the nitrogen source. Slower rates of phytoremediation by uptake and phytodegradation were observed under high nitrate concentrations and aerobic conditions, which allowed perchlorate to persist in solution and resulted in a higher fraction uptake by the plant. Specifically, the rate of removal of perchlorate from bulk solution ranged from 5.4 +/- 0.54 to 37.1 +/- 2.25 mg/L/d (+/-SE) in the absence of nitrate to 1.78 +/- 0.27 to 0.46 +/- 0.02 mg/L/d (+/-SE) at high nitrate concentration. The results of this study indicate that the root-zone environment of plants can be manipulated to optimize rhizodegradation and to minimize undesirable processes such as uptake, temporal phytoaccumulation, and slow phytodegradation during phytoremediation of perchlorate. Rhizodegradation is desired because contaminants resident in plant tissue may remain an ecological risk until completely phytodegraded.

The sensitivity of fixed-bed biological perchlorate removal to changes in operating conditions and water quality characteristics

Flow rate, electron donor addition, and biomass control were evaluated in order to optimize perchlorate (ClO4-) removal from drinking water using biologically active carbon (BAC) filtration. Influent dissolved oxygen (DO) was lowered from ambient conditions to approximately 2.5 mg/L for all experiments using a nitrogen sparge. When influent nitrate concentration was 0-2.0 mg/L, 1.6-2.8 mg/L as carbon of acetate or ethanol was required to achieve and sustain the complete removal of 50 microg/L perchlorate in a BAC filter. Most or all of the exogenous acetate and ethanol was removed during biofiltration. When a 72-h electron donor feed failure was simulated, a maximum perchlorate breakthrough of 18 microg/L was observed and, once electron donor was reapplied, 9 days were required to reestablish complete perchlorate removal. During a 24-h electron donor feed failure simulation, the maximum effluent perchlorate concentration detected was 6.7 microg/L. Within 24 h of reactivating the electron donor, the filter regained its capacity to consistently remove 50 microg/L perchlorate to below detection. Although biomass growth diminished the filter's ability to consistently remove perchlorate, a cleaning procedure immediately restored stable, complete perchlorate removal. This cleaning procedure was required approximately every 50 days (4800 bed volumes) when influent DO concentration was 2.5 mg/L. Empty-bed contact time (EBCT) experiments showed that 80% perchlorate removal was achieved using a 5-min EBCT, and complete perchlorate removal was observed for an EBCT of 9 min. It was also demonstrated that BAC filtration consistently removed perchlorate to below detection for influent perchlorate concentrations ranging from 10 to 300 microg/L, influent sulfate concentrations between 0 and 220 mg/L, influent pH values of 6.5-9.0, and operating temperatures of 5-22 degrees C.

Evidence of perchlorate (ClO4-) reduction in plant tissues (poplar tree) using radio-labeled 36ClO4-

Phytoremediation of perchlorate (ClO4) by poplar trees Populus deltoidex nigrawas investigated using small cuttings growing in hydroponic Hoagland solution and plant tissue cultures, consisting of spherical photosynthetic cell aggregates (i.e. nodules) developing in Murashige and Skoog culture medium. Both plants and nodules were grown under a 16 h/8 h photoperiod cycle and under sterile conditions. Degradation experiments, performed by the incubation of pregrown plants and nodules in the presence of 36Cl radio-labeled ClO4- (25 mg L(-1)), showed a reduction of the initial ClO4- concentration in the solution of about 50% after 30 d of incubation. Analysis of the distribution of radioactivity in different plant fractions indicated that 27.4% of the total was translocated to the leaves, while 66.9% remained in the solution. Very little radioactivity (less than 3.0%) was detected in the other parts of the plants. 32.0% of the radioactivity recovered in the solution was shown to consist of 36Cl- and 68.0% of nontransformed 36ClO4-. The radioactivity recovered in the leaf extracts was distributed as chloride (36Cl-) (1.6% of the total), chlorite (36ClO2-) (2.4%), chlorate (36ClO3-) (4.8%), nontransformed 36ClO4- (21.6%), and an unidentified organic compound (1.4%). The radioactivity recovered in the solution containing submerged nodules consisted of 36Cl- (6.4% of the total), 36ClO3- (1.3%), and nontransformed 36ClO4- (51.5%). Radioactivity detected in the nodule extracts was distributed as 36Cl- (2.0% of the total), 36ClO2- (5.2%), 36ClO3- (6.4%), 36ClO4- (22.7%), and an unidentified organic compound (0.5%). These results provide evidence of perchlorate reduction inside poplar tree tissues. 36ClO4- is partially reduced to 36ClO3-, 36ClO2-, and 36Cl-.

Kinetics of perchlorate- and chlorate-respiring bacteria

Ten chlorate-respiring bacteria were isolated from wastewater and a perchlorate-degrading bioreactor. Eight of the isolates were able to degrade perchlorate, and all isolates used oxygen and chlorate as terminal electron acceptors. The growth kinetics of two perchlorate-degrading isolates, designated "Dechlorosoma" sp. strains KJ and PDX, were examined with acetate as the electron donor in batch tests. The maximum observed aerobic growth rates of KJ and PDX (0.27 and 0.28 h(-1), respectively) were only slightly higher than the anoxic growth rates obtained by these isolates during growth with chlorate (0.26 and 0.21 h(-1), respectively). The maximum observed growth rates of the two non-perchlorate-utilizing isolates (PDA and PDB) were much higher under aerobic conditions (0.64 and 0.41 h(-1), respectively) than under anoxic (chlorate-reducing) conditions (0.18 and 0.21 h(-1), respectively). The maximum growth rates of PDX on perchlorate and chlorate were identical (0.21 h(-1)) and exceeded that of strain KJ on perchlorate (0.14 h(-1)). Growth of one isolate (PDX) was more rapid on acetate than on lactate. There were substantial differences in the half-saturation constants measured for anoxic growth of isolates on acetate with excess perchlorate (470 mg/liter for KJ and 45 mg/liter for PDX). Biomass yields (grams of cells per gram of acetate) for strain KJ were not statistically different in the presence of the electron acceptors oxygen (0.46 +/- 0.07 [n = 7]), chlorate (0.44 +/- 0.05 [n = 7]), and perchlorate (0.50 +/- 0.08 [n = 7]). These studies provide evidence that facultative microorganisms with the capability for perchlorate and chlorate respiration exist, that not all chlorate-respiring microorganisms are capable of anoxic growth on perchlorate, and that isolates have dissimilar growth kinetics using different electron donors and acceptors.

Ubiquity and diversity of dissimilatory (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria

Environmental contamination with compounds containing oxyanions of chlorine, such as perchlorate or chlorate [(per)chlorate] or chlorine dioxide, has been a constantly growing problem over the last 100 years. Although the fact that microbes reduce these compounds has been recognized for more than 50 years, only six organisms which can obtain energy for growth by this metabolic process have been described. As part of a study to investigate the diversity and ubiquity of microorganisms involved in the microbial reduction of (per)chlorate, we enumerated the (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria (ClRB) in very diverse environments, including pristine and hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, aquatic sediments, paper mill waste sludges, and farm animal waste lagoons. In all of the environments tested, the acetate-oxidizing ClRB represented a significant population, whose size ranged from 2.31 x 10(3) to 2.4 x 10(6) cells per g of sample. In addition, we isolated 13 ClRB from these environments. All of these organisms could grow anaerobically by coupling complete oxidation of acetate to reduction of (per)chlorate. Chloride was the sole end product of this reductive metabolism. All of the isolates could also use oxygen as a sole electron acceptor, and most, but not all, could use nitrate. The alternative electron donors included simple volatile fatty acids, such as propionate, butyrate, or valerate, as well as simple organic acids, such as lactate or pyruvate. Oxidized-minus-reduced difference spectra of washed whole-cell suspensions of the isolates had absorbance maxima close to 425, 525, and 550 nm, which are characteristic of type c cytochromes. In addition, washed cell suspensions of all of the ClRB isolates could dismutate chlorite, an intermediate in the reductive metabolism of (per)chlorate, into chloride and molecular oxygen. Chlorite dismutation was a result of the activity of a single enzyme which in pure form had a specific activity of approximately 1,928 micromol of chlorite per mg of protein per min. Analyses of the 16S ribosomal DNA sequences of the organisms indicated that they all belonged to the alpha, beta, or gamma subclass of the Proteobacteria. Several were closely related to members of previously described genera that are not recognized for the ability to reduce (per)chlorate, such as the genera Pseudomonas and Azospirllum. However, many were not closely related to any previously described organism and represented new genera within the Proteobacteria. The results of this study significantly increase the limited number of microbial isolates that are known to be capable of dissimilatory (per)chlorate reduction and demonstrate the hitherto unrecognized phylogenetic diversity and ubiquity of the microorganisms that exhibit this type of metabolism.

Reduction of (per)chlorate by a novel organism isolated from paper mill waste

As part of a study on the microbiology of chlorate reduction, several new dissimilatory chlorate-reducing bacteria were isolated from a broad diversity of environments. One of these, strain CKB, was selected for a more complete characterization. Strain CKB was enriched and isolated from paper mill waste with acetate as the sole electron donor and chlorate as the sole electron acceptor. Strain CKB is a completely oxidizing, non-fermentative, Gram-negative, facultative anaerobe. Cells of strain CKB are 0.5 x 2 microm and are highly motile, with a single polar flagellum. In addition to acetate, strain CKB can use propionate, butyrate, lactate, succinate, fumarate, malate or yeast extract as electron donors, with chlorate as the sole electron acceptor. Strain CKB can also couple chlorate reduction to the oxidation of ferrous iron, sulphide, or the reduced form of the humic substances analogue 2,6-anthrahydroquinone disulphonate. Fe(II) is oxidized to insoluble amorphous Fe(II) oxide, whereas sulphide is oxidized to elemental sulphur. Growth is not associated with this metabolism, even when small quantities of acetate are added as a potential carbon source. In addition to chlorate, strain CKB can also couple acetate oxidation to the reduction of oxygen or perchlorate. Chlorate is completely reduced to chloride. Strain CKB has an optimum temperature of 35 degrees C, a pH optimum of 7.5 and a salinity optimum of 1% NaCl. Strain CKB can grow in chlorate and perchlorate concentrations of 80 or 20 mM respectively. Under anaerobic conditions, strain CKB can dismutate chlorite into chloride and O2, and is only the second organism shown to be capable of this metabolism. Oxidized minus reduced spectra of whole-cell suspensions of strain CKB showed absorbance maxima at 423, 523 and 552nm, which are indicative of the presence of c-type cytochrome(s). Analysis of the complete sequence of the 16S rDNA indicates that strain CKB is a member of the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria. The phototroph Rhodocyclus tenuis is the closest known relative. When tested, strain CKB could not grow by phototrophy and did not contain bacteriochlorophyll. Phenotypically and phylogenetically, strain CKB differs from all other described bacteria and represents the type strain of a new genus and species.