Abstract
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading strain Q8 was isolated from oilfield produced water. According to the analysis of a biochemical test, 16S rRNA gene, house-keeping genes and DNA–DNA hybridization, strain Q8 was assigned to a novel species of the genus Gordonia. The strain could not only grow in mineral salt medium (MM) and utilize naphthalene and pyrene as its sole carbon source, but also degraded mixed naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene and pyrene. The degradation ratio of these four PAHs reached 100%, 95.4%, 73.8% and 53.4% respectively after being degraded by Q8 for seven days. A comparative experiment found that the PAHs degradation efficiency of Q8 is higher than that of Gordonia alkaliphila and Gordonia paraffinivorans, which have the capacities to remove PAHs. Fourier transform infrared spectra, saturate, aromatic, resin and asphaltene (SARA) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of crude oil degraded by Q8 were also studied. The results showed that Q8 could utilize n-alkanes and PAHs in crude oil. The relative proportions of the naphthalene series, phenanthrene series, thiophene series, fluorene series, chrysene series, C21-triaromatic steroid, pyrene, and benz(a)pyrene were reduced after being degraded by Q8. Gordonia sp. nov. Q8 had the capacity to remediate water and soil environments contaminated by PAHs or crude oil, and provided a feasible way for the bioremediation of PAHs and oil pollution.
Highlights
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) constitute a large and diverse group of priority environmental pollutants and can be formed as products during incomplete combustion of organic matter [1]
Strain Q8 was identified as a novel species of the genus Gordonia and the results showed that this strain is able to degrade PAHs faster than known Gordonia which have the capacity to degrade PAHs
The degrading strain exhibited the following characteristics compared to former strains: (i) according to analysis of morphological observation, physiological and biochemical test, strain Q8 was assigned to a novel species of the genus Gordonia, and contrast experiments found that the PAH degradation efficiency of Q8 is higher than other types of Gordonia; (ii) Q8 could utilize naphthalene and pyrene as its sole carbon source, and degraded mixed PAHs, and exhibited very high PAH
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) constitute a large and diverse group of priority environmental pollutants and can be formed as products during incomplete combustion of organic matter [1]. PAHs are widespread environmental pollutants commonly found in soil, surface waters, and sediments and their fate in nature is of great environmental concern due to their potential hazards of toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity [2,3]. Recent research has shown that chronic exposure to PAHs is associated with cancerous diseases in aquatic animals and enhanced mutagenicity of sediments. Due to their toxicity, carcinogenicity, and ubiquitous distribution, the US Environmental. Protection Agency has listed 16 PAHs as priority pollutants [4]. Public Health 2017, 14, 215; doi:10.3390/ijerph14020215 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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