Development and characterization of an anaerobic microcosm for reductive dechlorination of PCBs

doi:10.1007/s11783-017-0939-1

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2017, Vol. 11

Issue (6) : 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-017-0939-1

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Development and characterization of an anaerobic microcosm for reductive dechlorination of PCBs

Dawei Liang¹(

), Shanquan Wang²

¹. School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
². School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China

Download: PDF(1514 KB) HTML
Export: BibTeX | EndNote | Reference Manager | ProCite | RefWorks

Abstract

A robust PCB-dechlorinating sediment-free enrichment culture is developed.

This enrichment culture can extensively dechlorinate a PCB mixture Aroclor 1260.

This culture effectively catalyzes major meta-PCBs dechlorination.

This study facilitates the exploration of PCB dechlorinators for bioremediation.

The toxic and recalcitrant polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) adversely affect human and biota by bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food chain. In this study, an anaerobic microcosm was developed to extensively dechlorinate hexa- and hepta-CBs in Aroclor 1260. After 4 months of incubation in defined mineral salts medium amended PCBs (70 mmol·L⁻¹) and lactate (10 mmol·L⁻¹), the culture dechlorinated hexa-CBs from 40.2% to 8.7% and hepta-CBs 33.6% to 11.6%, with dechlorination efficiencies of 78.3% and 65.5%, respectively (all in moL ratio). This dechlorination process led to tetra-CBs (46.4%) as the predominant dechlorination products, followed by penta- (22.1%) and tri-CBs (5.4%). The number of meta chlorines per biphenyl decreased from 2.50 to 1.41. Results of quantitative real-time PCR show that Dehalococcoides cells increased from 2.39 × 10⁵±0.5 × 10⁵ to 4.99 × 10⁷±0.32 × 10⁷ copies mL⁻¹ after 120 days of incubation, suggesting that Dehalococcoides play a major role in reductive dechlorination of PCBs. This study could prove the feasibility of anaerobic reductive culture enrichment for the dehalogenation of highly chlorinated PCBs, which is prior to be applied for in situ bioremediation of notorious halogenated compounds.

Keywords Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Microbial reductive dechlorination Dehalococcoides Pathway

Corresponding Author(s): Dawei Liang

Issue Date: 10 May 2017

Cite this article:

Dawei Liang,Shanquan Wang. Development and characterization of an anaerobic microcosm for reductive dechlorination of PCBs[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2017, 11(6): 2.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-017-0939-1
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2017/V11/I6/2

Tab.1 PCR primers and probes used in this study for 16S rRNA gene targeted different group of bacteria

Fig.1 PCB dechlorination profile of sediment-free enrichment culture GD1

Fig.2 PCB dechlorination profile of the sediment free enrichment culture GD1 according to the chlorine substitute position

Fig.3 PCB dechlorination pathway in sediment free culture and the mass balance of the dechlorination products and substrates (Cont’d)

Tab.2 Phylogenetic analysis of predominant species in PCB dechlorinating sediment-free enrichment culture GD1 based on 16S rRNA gene sequences

1	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-ATSDR. Toxicological Profile for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). 2000. Available online at . ( accessed Nov 26, 2016)
2	Passatore L, Rossetti S, Juwarkar A A, Massacci A. Phytoremediation and bioremediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): state of knowledge and research perspectives. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2014, 278: 189–202 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.05.051 pmid: 24976127
3	Bedard D L, Bunnell S C, Smullen L A. Stimulation of microbial para-dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls that have persisted in Housatonic River sediment for decades. Environmental Science & Technology, 1996, 30(2): 687–694 https://doi.org/10.1021/es950463i
4	Yan T, LaPara T M, Novak P J. The effect of varying levels of sodium bicarbonate on polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorination in Hudson River sediment cultures. Environmental Microbiology, 2006, 8(7): 1288–1298 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01037.x pmid: 16817937
5	Wu Q, Sowers K R, May H D. Establishment of a polychlorinated biphenyl-dechlorinating microbial consortium, specific for doubly flanked chlorines, in a defined, sediment-free medium. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2000, 66(1): 49–53 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.1.49-53.2000 pmid: 10618202
6	Wang S, He J. Dechlorination of commercial PCBs and other multiple halogenated compounds by a sediment-free culture containing Dehalococcoides and Dehalobacter. Environmental Science & Technology, 2013, 47(18): 10526–10534 pmid: 23964900
7	Bedard D L. A case study for microbial biodegradation: anaerobic bacterial reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls-from sediment to defined medium. Annual Review of Microbiology, 2008, 62(1): 253–270 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.micro.62.081307.162733 pmid: 18729735
8	Fennell D E, Nijenhuis I, Wilson S F, Zinder S H, Häggblom M M. Dehalococcoides ethenogenes strain 195 reductively dechlorinates diverse chlorinated aromatic pollutants. Environmental Science & Technology, 2004, 38(7): 2075–2081 https://doi.org/10.1021/es034989b pmid: 15112809
9	Adrian L, Dudková V, Demnerová K, Bedard D L. “Dehalococcoides” sp. strain CBDB1 extensively dechlorinates the commercial polychlorinated biphenyl mixture aroclor 1260. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2009, 75(13): 4516–4524 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00102-09 pmid: 19429555
10	Adrian L, Hansen S K, Fung J M, Görisch H, Zinder S H. Growth of Dehalococcoides strains with chlorophenols as electron acceptors. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(7): 2318–2323 https://doi.org/10.1021/es062076m pmid: 17438781
11	Fricker A D, LaRoe S L, Shea M E, Bedard D L. Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain JNA dechlorinates multiple chlorinated phenols including pentachlorophenol and harbors at least 19 reductive dehalogenase homoLogous genes. Environmental Science & Technology, 2014, 48(24): 14300–14308 https://doi.org/10.1021/es503553f pmid: 25377868
12	Wiegel J, Wu Q. Microbial reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2000, 32(1): 1–15 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2000.tb00693.x pmid: 10779614
13	Bedard D L, Bailey J J, Reiss B L, Jerzak G V. Development and characterization of stable sediment-free anaerobic bacterial enrichment cultures that dechlorinate aroclor 1260. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2006, 72(4): 2460–2470 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.72.4.2460-2470.2006 pmid: 16597944
14	Cutter L A, Watts J E M, Sowers K R, May H D. Identification of a microorganism that links its growth to the reductive dechlorination of 2,3,5,6-chlorobiphenyl. Environmental Microbiology, 2001, 3(11): 699–709 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2001.00246.x pmid: 11846760
15	He J, Robrock K R, Alvarez-Cohen L. Microbial reductive debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Environmental Science & Technology, 2006, 40(14): 4429–4434 https://doi.org/10.1021/es052508d pmid: 16903281
16	He J, Ritalahti K M, Yang K L, Koenigsberg S S, Löffler F E. Detoxification of vinyl chloride to ethene coupled to growth of an anaerobic bacterium. Nature, 2003, 424(6944): 62–65 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01717 pmid: 12840758
17	Wang S, He J. Phylogenetically distinct bacteria involve extensive dechlorination of aroclor 1260 in sediment-free cultures. PLoS One, 2013, 8(3): e59178 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0059178 pmid: 23554991
18	Chu S, Hong C S. Retention indexes for temperature-programmed gas chromatography of polychlorinated biphenyls. Analytical Chemistry, 2004, 76(18): 5486–5497 https://doi.org/10.1021/ac049526i pmid: 15362911
19	Hendrickson E R, Payne J A, Young R M, Starr M G, Perry M P, Fahnestock S, Ellis D E, Ebersole R C. MoLecular analysis of Dehalococcoides 16S ribosomal DNA from chloroethene-contaminated sites throughout North America and Europe. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2002, 68(2): 485–495 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.68.2.485-495.2002 pmid: 11823182
20	Löffler F E, Sun Q, Li J, Tiedje J M. 16S rRNA gene-based detection of tetrachloroethene-dechlorinating Desulfuromonas and Dehalococcoides species. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2000, 66(4): 1369–1374 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.66.4.1369-1374.2000 pmid: 10742213
21	Schlötelburg C, Wintzingerode C, Hauck R, Wintzingerode F, Hegemann W, Göbel U B. Microbial structure of an anaerobic bioreactor population that continuously dechlorinates 1,2-dichloropropane. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2002, 39(3): 229–237 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-6496(02)00177-0 pmid: 19709202
22	el Fantroussi S, Mahillon J, Naveau H, Agathos S N. Introduction of anaerobic dechlorinating bacteria into soil slurry microcosms and nested-PCR monitoring. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1997, 63(2): 806–811 pmid: 9023963
23	Sung Y, Fletcher K E, Ritalahti K M, Apkarian R P, Ramos-Hernández N, Sanford R A, Mesbah N M, Löffler F E. Geobacter lovleyi sp. nov. strain SZ, a novel metal-reducing and tetrachloroethene-dechlorinating bacterium. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2006, 72(4): 2775–2782 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.72.4.2775-2782.2006 pmid: 16597982
24	Watts J E M, Fagervold S K, May H D, Sowers K R. A PCR-based specific assay reveals a population of bacteria within the Chloroflexi associated with the reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls. Microbiology, 2005, 151(6): 2039–2046 https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.27819-0 pmid: 15942010
25	Fagervold S K, Watts J E M, May H D, Sowers K R. Sequential reductive dechlorination of meta-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in sediment microcosms by two different Chloroflexi phylotypes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2005, 71(12): 8085–8090 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.71.12.8085-8090.2005 pmid: 16332789
26	Bedard D L, Ritalahti K M, Löffler F E. The Dehalococcoides population in sediment-free mixed cultures metabolically dechlorinates the commercial polychlorinated biphenyl mixture aroclor 1260. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2007, 73(8): 2513–2521 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02909-06 pmid: 17308182
27	Wang S, He J. Two-step denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (2S-DGGE), a gel-based strategy to capture full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2012, 95(5): 1305–1312 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4251-5 pmid: 22772864
28	Cheng D, He J. Isolation and characterization of “Dehalococcoides” sp. strain MB, which dechlorinates tetrachloroethene to trans-1,2-dichloroethene. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2009, 75(18): 5910–5918 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00767-09 pmid: 19633106
29	Bedard D L, May R J. Characterization of the polychlorinated biphenyls in the sediments of Woods Pond: evidence for microbial dechlorination of Aroclor 1260 in situ. Environmental Science & Technology, 1996, 30(1): 237–245 https://doi.org/10.1021/es950262e
30	Fagervold S K, May H D, Sowers K R. Microbial reductive dechlorination of aroclor 1260 in Baltimore harbor sediment microcosms is catalyzed by three phylotypes within the phylum Chloroflexi. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2007, 73(9): 3009–3018 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02958-06 pmid: 17351091
31	Bedard D L, Pohl E A, Bailey J J, Murphy A. Characterization of the PCB substrate range of microbial dechlorination process LP. Environmental Science & Technology, 2005, 39(17): 6831–6838 https://doi.org/10.1021/es050255i pmid: 16190246
32	Berkaw M, Sowers K R, May H D. Anaerobic ortho dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls by estuarine sediments from Baltimore Harbor. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1996, 62(7): 2534–2539 pmid: 16535360
33	Van Dort H M, Bedard D L. Reductive ortho and meta dechlorination of a polychlorinated biphenyl congener by anaerobic microorganisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1991, 57(5): 1576–1578 pmid: 16348498
34	Williams W A. Microbial reductive dechlorination of trichlorobiphenyls in anaerobic sediment slurries. Environmental Science & Technology, 1994, 28(4): 630–635 https://doi.org/10.1021/es00053a015 pmid: 22196545
35	Ahsanul Islam M, Edwards E A, Mahadevan R. Characterizing the metabolism of Dehalococcoides with a constraint-based model. PLoS Computational Biology, 2010, 6(8): e1000887 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000887 pmid: 20811585
36	HugL A, BeikoR G, RoweA R, RichardsonR E, EdwardsE A. Comparative metagenomics of three Dehalococcoides-containing enrichment cultures: the role of the non-dechlorinating community.BMC Genomics, 2012, 13(1): 327 https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-327 pmid: 22823523

[1]	Milan Malhotra, Anurag Garg. Characterization of value-added chemicals derived from the thermal hydrolysis and wet oxidation of sewage sludge[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2021, 15(1): 13-.
[2]	Yapeng Song, Hui Gong, Jianbing Wang, Fengmin Chang, Kaijun Wang. Enhanced triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) degradation through application of an O₃/UV process: Performance optimization and degradation pathways[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2020, 14(4): 64-.
[3]	Zuotao Zhang, Chongyang Wang, Jianzhong He, Hui Wang. Anaerobic phenanthrene biodegradation with four kinds of electron acceptors enriched from the same mixed inoculum and exploration of metabolic pathways[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(5): 80-.
[4]	Zhenfeng Han, Ying Miao, Jing Dong, Zhiqiang Shen, Yuexi Zhou, Shan Liu, Chunping Yang. Enhanced nitrogen removal and microbial analysis in partially saturated constructed wetland for treating anaerobically digested swine wastewater[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(4): 52-.
[5]	Yuan Chen, Shaodong Xie, Bin Luo. Seasonal variations of transport pathways and potential sources of PM_2.5 in Chengdu, China (2012–2013)[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(1): 12-.
[6]	Shanshan Ding, Wen Huang, Shaogui Yang, Danjun Mao, Julong Yuan, Yuxuan Dai, Jijie Kong, Cheng Sun, Huan He, Shiyin Li, Limin Zhang. Degradation of Azo dye direct black BN based on adsorption and microwave-induced catalytic reaction[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(1): 5-.
[7]	Jun HUANG, Yamei HUI, Toru MATSUMURA, Gang YU, Shubo DENG, Makoto YAMAUCHI, Changmin WU, Norimasa YAMAZAKI. Detailed analysis of PCBs and PCDD/Fs impurities in a dielectric oil sample (ASKAREL Nr 1740) from an imported transformer in China[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng, 2014, 8(2): 195-204.
[8]	Osamu SHITAMICHI, Taiki MATSUI, Yamei HUI, Weiwei CHEN, Totaro IMASAKA. Determination of persistent organic pollutants by gas chromatography/laser multiphoton ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng, 2012, 6(1): 26-31.
[9]	Yueping BAO, Qiuying HUANG, Wenlong WANG, Jiangjie XU, Fan JIANG, Chenghong FENG. Application of quantum chemical descriptors into quantitative structure-property relationship models for prediction of the photolysis half-life of PCBs in water[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng Chin, 2011, 5(4): 505-511.
[10]	HE Yiliang, ZHAO Bin, HUGHES Joseph B., HAN Sung Soo. Fenton oxidation of 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrotoluene and acetone inhibition[J]. Front.Environ.Sci.Eng., 2008, 2(3): 326-332.
[11]	PI Yunzheng, WANG Jianlong. Pathway of the ozonation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in aqueous solution[J]. Front.Environ.Sci.Eng., 2007, 1(2): 179-183.

Viewed

Full text

Abstract

Cited

Shared

Discussed