Dissimilatory reduction of perchlorate and other common pollutants by a consortium enriched from tidal flats of the Yellow Sea

Abstract

Objective: To enrich a facultative anaerobic bacterial consortium from the Yellow Sea and assess its ability to reduce perchlorate and other co-pollutants. Methods: Bacterial consortium collected from the tidal flats of the Yellow Sea was enriched in an anoxic medium containing perchlorate as the electron (e - ) acceptor and acetate as the electron (e - ) donor. The enriched consortium was then tested for perchlorate reduction under different perchlorate concentrations and in the presence of nitrate by using standard anaerobic techniques. The complete enzymatic reduction of perchlorate to chloride was confirmed by chlorite dismutation. Ability of the consortium to grow with alternate e - acceptors was also tested with acetate as the e - donor. Results: The enriched consortium could rapidly reduce perchlorate up to the initial concentration of 25.65 mmol/L. In the presence of nitrate, perchlorate reduction did not occur immediately and reduction of nitrate started after a lag phase, with concomitant accumulation of nitrite. The perchlorate-enriched consortium could reduce chlorate, oxygen, Cr (VI), and selenate as the alternate e - acceptors but failed to utilize sulfate, thiosulfate, sulfite, and nitrite. Conclusions: The consortium from the tidal flats of the Yellow Sea could reduce perchlorate and co-contaminants such as chlorate, nitrate, Cr (VI), and selenate under heterotrophic conditions with acetate as the e