Biotransformation of Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP) in Sediment Microcosms and the Adaptation of Microbial Communities to TCEP

Abstract

Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a typical chlorinated organophosphate ester (OPE), is an emerging contaminant of global concern because of its frequent occurrence, potential toxic effects, and persistence in the environment. In this study, we investigated the microbial TCEP biotransformation and the development of microbial communities in sediment microcosms with repeated TCEP amendments. The TCEP degradation fitted pseudo-zero-order kinetics, with reaction rates of 0.068 mg/(L h) after the first spike of 5 mg/L and 1.85 mg/(L h) after the second spike of 50 mg/L. TCEP was mainly degraded via phosphoester bond hydrolysis, evidenced by the production of bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP) and mono-chloroethyl phosphate (MCEP). Bis(2-chloroethyl) 2-hydroxyethyl phosphate (TCEP-OH), phosphoric bis(2-chloroethyl) (2-oxoethyl) ester (TCEP-CHO), phosphoric acid bis(2-chloroethyl)(carboxymethyl) ester (TCEP-COOH), and 2-chloroethyl 2-hydroxyethyl hydrogen phosphate (BCEP-OH) were also identified as microbial TCEP transformation products, indicating that TCEP degradation may follow hydrolytic dechlorination and oxidation pathways. Microbial community compositions in TCEP-amended microcosms shifted away from control microcosms after the second TCEP spike. Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales were two prevalent bacterial guilds enriched in TCEP-amended microcosms and were linked to the higher abundances of alkaline and acid phosphatase genes and genes involved in the metabolism of 2-chloroethanol, a side product of TCEP hydrolysis, indicating their importance in degrading TCEP and its metabolites.