Abstract
Aerobic Degradation of Benzene by Escherichia spp. from Petroleum-contaminated Sites in Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Highlights
Benzene; a hydrophobic, volatile, colourless, highly flammable, aromatic hydrocarbon; is a preeminent component of crude as well as refined petroleum and most (98%) of it is commercially used as a resource for petrochemical and chemical industries, petroleum refining industries, and for manufacturing synthetic rubbers, tyres, gums, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, plastics, dyes, polymers, resins, synthetic fibres and consumer products such as marking pens, glues, adhesives, thinners, shoe-polish, perfumes, after shave lotions and paints[1,2]
Strain MKB2a and MKB2d were identified as E. coli, whereas Strain MKB1b was identified as E. fergusonii. 16S Ribosomal DNA sequences of all three strains were submitted to the GenBank bearing accession numbers MK970556, MK970574, MK970557 respectively
E. coli, can survive and replicate in environments having an abundance of aromatic hydrocarbons; and can utilize the aromatic compounds as sources of carbon
Summary
Benzene (formula C6H6, MW 78); a hydrophobic, volatile, colourless, highly flammable, aromatic hydrocarbon; is a preeminent component of crude as well as refined petroleum and most (98%) of it is commercially used as a resource for petrochemical and chemical industries, petroleum refining industries, and for manufacturing synthetic rubbers, tyres, gums, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, plastics, dyes, polymers, resins, synthetic fibres and consumer products such as marking pens, glues, adhesives, thinners, shoe-polish, perfumes, after shave lotions and paints[1,2]. Benzene is a major component of petrol, diesel, gasoline and other automobile fuels. Benzene ring is globally regarded as the most extensively distributed chemical structure[3]. Benzene enters into the human systems by cutaneous exposure or by inhalation[4]. Cigarette smokers are directly exposed to benzene[5,6]. The relation of benzene exposure and the concomitant risk of cancer formation in human tissues and organs have been well-documented[7]. The toxic effects of benzene have been related to developing hematopoietic disorders like acute myeloid leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma[8,9], primarily caused by chromosomal alterations attributing to malignant transformation of the genome[9,10]. It has been suggested that a number of epigenetic alterations, mostly DNA methylation, may play a role in formation of tumor[12]
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