Accelerated aromatic compounds degradation in aquatic environment by use of interaction between Spirodela polyrrhiza and bacteria in its rhizosphere

Abstract

Accelerated degradation of organic chemicals by aquatic plant-bacterial associations was reported for the first time with elucidation of the role and contribution of aquatic plant and bacteria in its rhizosphere using a fast-growing giant duckweed, Spirodela polyrrhiza. The results clearly showed the accelerated degradation of all the three aromatic compounds (phenol, aniline and 2,4-dichlorophenol [2,4-DCP]) tested by aquatic plant-bacterial associations. In phenol degradation system, phenol-degrading bacteria indigenous to the rhizosphere fraction of S. polyrrhiza mainly contributed, while in aniline degradation system S. polyrrhiza mainly contributed by stimulating aniline-degrading bacteria both in the rhizosphere and balk water fraction. On the other hand in 2,4-DCP degradation system, S. polyrrhiza itself mainly contributed to its removal by uptake and degradation. Thus, the mechanisms for accelerated removal of aromatic compounds were quite different depending on the substrates. S. polyrrhiza showed selective accumulation of phenol-degrading bacteria in its rhizosphere fraction, while aniline- and 2,4-DCP-degrading bacteria were not much accumulated. S. polyrrhiza secreted peroxidase and laccase. However, both of the enzymatic activities increased with the addition of aromatic compounds, degrading ability of S. polyrrhiza itself should be owing to the production of peroxidase rather than laccase because the change of peroxidase activity and concentration of each aromatic compound well concurred. From the results obtained in the present study, it can be concluded that the feasibility of the use of aquatic plant-bacterial associations to accelerate the degradation of organic chemicals especially recalcitrant compounds in aquatic environment was shown.