Biodegradation Of Dichloromethane Research Articles

Dichloromethane biodegradation in multi-contaminated groundwater: Insights from biomolecular and compound-specific isotope analyses

Dichloromethane (DCM) is a widespread and toxic industrial solvent which often co-occurs with chlorinated ethenes at polluted sites. Biodegradation of DCM occurs under both oxic and anoxic conditions in soils and aquifers. Here we investigated in situ and ex situ biodegradation of DCM in groundwater sampled from the industrial site of Themeroil (France), where DCM occurs as a major co-contaminant of chloroethenes. Carbon isotopic fractionation (εC) for DCM ranging from −46 to −22‰ were obtained under oxic or denitrifying conditions, in mineral medium or contaminated groundwater, and for laboratory cultures of Hyphomicrobium sp. strain GJ21 and two new DCM-degrading strains isolated from the contaminated groundwater. The extent of DCM biodegradation (B%) in the aquifer, as evaluated by compound-specific isotope analysis (δ13C), ranged from 1% to 85% applying DCM-specific εC derived from reference strains and those determined in this study. Laboratory groundwater microcosms under oxic conditions showed DCM biodegradation rates of up to 0.1 mM·day−1, with concomitant chloride release. Dehalogenase genes dcmA and dhlA involved in DCM biodegradation ranged from below 4 × 102 (boundary) to 1 × 107 (source zone) copies L−1 across the contamination plume. High-throughput sequencing on the 16S rrnA gene in groundwater samples showed that both contaminant level and terminal electron acceptor processes (TEAPs) influenced the distribution of genus-level taxa associated with DCM biodegradation. Taken together, our results demonstrate the potential of DCM biodegradation in multi-contaminated groundwater. This integrative approach may be applied to contaminated aquifers in the future, in order to identify microbial taxa and pathways associated with DCM biodegradation in relation to redox conditions and co-contamination levels.

Degradation of dichloromethane by an isolated strain Pandoraea pnomenusa and its performance in a biotrickling filter

A strain Pandoraea pnomenusa LX-1 that uses dichloromethane (DCM) as sole carbon and energy source has been isolated and identified in our laboratory. The optimum aerobic biodegradation of DCM in batch culture was evaluated by response surface methodology. Maximum biodegradation (5.35 mg/(L·hr)) was achieved under cultivation at 32.8°C, pH 7.3, and 0.66% NaCl. The growth and biodegradation processes were well fitted by Haldane's kinetic model, yielding maximum specific growth and degradation rates of 0.133 hr−1 and 0.856 hr−1, respectively. The microorganism efficiently degraded a mixture of DCM and coexisting components (benzene, toluene and chlorobenzene). The carbon recovery (52.80%–94.59%) indicated that the targets were predominantly mineralized and incorporated into cell materials. Electron acceptors increased the DCM biodegradation rate in the following order: mixed > oxygen > iron > sulfate > nitrate. The highest dechlorination rate was 0.365 mg Cl−/(hr·mg biomass), obtained in the presence of mixed electron acceptors. Removal was achieved in a continuous biotrickling filter at 56%–85% efficiency, with a mineralization rate of 75.2%. Molecular biology techniques revealed the predominant strain as P. pnomenusa LX-1. These results clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of strain LX-1 in treating DCM-containing industrial effluents. As such, the strain is a strong candidate for remediation of DCM coexisting with other organic compounds.

Biodegradation of Dichloromethane Along with Other VOCs from Pharmaceutical Wastewater

The present study dealt with the interaction of dichloromethane (DCM) with other non-chlorinated organic solvents such as methanol, acetone, toluene, and benzene, which are commonly present in the pharmaceutical wastewater, during biodegradation by mixed bacterial consortium. Non-chlorinated solvents were easily degradable even at an initial concentration of 1,000mg/L, whereas only 20mg/L of DCM was degraded when used as sole carbon source. The Monod Inhibition model appears to simulate the single pollutant biodegradation kinetics satisfactorily. In dual substrate systems, low concentrations (100mg/L) of non-chlorinated solvents did not interfere with the DCM degradation. Non-interaction sum kinetics model was able to simulate the experimental results well in this case. However, high concentrations of non-chlorinated solvents (1,000mg/L) affected the DCM degradation significantly. There was severe competition between the chlorinated and the non-chlorinated solvents. In this case, competitive inhibition model predicted the experimental results better compared to co-metabolism model. In multiple substrate system also, presence of DCM prolonged the degradation of the other non-chlorinated solvents. However, the presence of non-chlorinated compounds accelerated the degradation of DCM. The results of the present study may be helpful in optimal design of biological systems treating mixed pollutants.

Biodegradation of Dichloromethane in the Groundwater at Illegal Waste Dump Site

About 800,000 tones of wastes have been piled up or buried illegally at prefectural boundary area between Aomori and Iwate prefectures. Over 200 drums that contained organic solvent were buried and the solvent leaked from the drums resulting into the pollution of soils and groundwater. Dichloromethane (DCM) is one of pollutants and its concentration in groundwater was over 100 ppm. We have studied whether indigenous bacteria in the groundwater in the polluted site degraded DCM under aerobic conditions. Gas-tight vials with 10 ml of groundwater samples and 5 ml of headspace were shaken at 25°C. After 15 days of shaking, DCM concentration in a sample decreased from 108 ppm to 25 ppm. The bacteria population was subcultured using DCM as substrate without other organic matters. The bacteria population degraded DCM, and chloride concentration increased, indicating that DCM was degraded biologically. The effects of pH and TCE were investigated on the biodegradation of DCM. The experimental results indicated that bioremediation by indigenous bacteria is promising way to remedy DCM contaminated soil and groundwater at the illegal waste dump site.

Biodegradation of Dichloromethane in an Estuarine Environment

Dichloromethane (DCM) is a toxic pollutant showing prolonged persistence in water. So far, biodegradation of DCM has only been reported in soils and freshwater systems. Herein, we studied whether or not biodegradation of DCM could occur in estuarine waters. Results showed over 90% mineralization of DCM in natural estuarine waters supplemented with DCM. Biodegradation of DCM in estuarine waters occurred by association of different bacterial species. Generally, two bacterial species participated in DCM degradation. Two bacterial consortia were obtained. Consortia were able to degrade around 80% of DCM in about 6 days. The species involved in the process were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing; a consortium was constituted by Pseudomonas sp. and Brevundimonas sp. and a second consortium was formed by Pseudomonas sp. and an Acinetobacter sp. Our results showed that DCM can be readily biodegraded in estuarine waters.

Biodegradation of dichloromethane by the polyvinyl alcohol-immobilized methylotrophic bacterium Ralstonia metallidurans PD11

A dichloromethane (DCM)-degrading bacterium, Ralstonia metallidurans PD11 NBRC 101272, was immobilized in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel to use in a bioreactor for DCM treatment. After 4-month incubation of PVA gel beads with R. metallidurans PD11 and DCM in a mineral salt medium, the cells were tightly packed in the mesh of the gel. Forty beads of the gel in 10 ml of a batch system model showed effective activity degrading 500 and 1,000 mg l(-1) DCM within 2 and 3 h, respectively. Although reduction of pH due to accumulation of chloride ion liberated from DCM decreased the activity, it was recovered by adjustment to neutral pH. The activity of the immobilized cells was not affected by addition of nutrients which were preferentially utilized by R. metallidurans PD11, unlike the activity of the free-living cells. A continuous flow system with a column was more effective for rapid degradation of DCM. Thus, the PVA gel-immobilized cell of R. metallidurans PD11 is thought to be a prospective candidate to develop the bioreactor.

Treatment of pharmaceutical industry process wastewater using the extractive membrane bioreactor

This paper describes the performance characterization of the Extractive Membrane Bioreactor (EMB) when treating pharmaceutical industry process wastewater contaminated with Dichloromethane (DCM). EMB technology, which employs extraction and biodegradation in a single step, has proved a potential alternative for the treatment of harsh inorganic waste streams contaminated with organic compounds. It is particularly successful for the destruction of toxic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as DCM without incurring air-stripping. A mixed culture was enriched to achieve complete biodegradation of DCM and total mineralization was confirmed by measurement of stoichiometric chloride release. The laboratory scale EMB was fed the process wastewater without any pre-treatment or dilution and was operated for 16 days with removals >95% for the entire period of operation. The applicability of the EMB to treatment of a range of pharmaceutical industry wastewaters and its costs are discussed.

Biodegradation of dichloromethane in a granular activated carbon fluidized‐bed reactor

A biological fluidized‐bed reactor (FBR) containing biomass attached to granular activated carbon (GAC) was investigated for the treatment of aqueous‐phase dichloromethane (DCM). The system was directly inoculated with fresh biomass solids collected from a General Electric Plastics wastewater treatment facility, located in Mount Vernon, Indiana. The biomass consumed DCM as its sole carbon and energy source following an acclimation period of approximately 8 days. Dichloromethane biodegradation rates in excess of 40 kg/m3 · d were achieved during continuous operation, with no detectable DCM (<1 mg/L) in the process effluent. Steady‐state data were collected to enable process scale‐up. This study confirmed that the biological GAC FBR is an environmentally acceptable waste treatment configuration for the destruction of aqueous‐phase DCM.

Biodegradation of dichloromethane and its utilization as a growth substrate under methanogenic conditions

Biodegradation of dichloromethane (DCM) to environmentally acceptable products was demonstrated under methanogenic conditions (35 degrees C). When DCM was supplied to enrichment cultures as the sole organic compound at a low enough concentration to avoid inhibition of methanogenesis, the molar ratio of CH4 formed to DCM consumed (0.473) was very close to the amount predicted by stoichiometric conservation of electrons. DCM degradation was also demonstrated when methanogenesis was partially inhibited (with 0.5 to 1.5 mM 2-bromoethanesulfonate or approximately 2 mM DCM) or completely stopped (with 50 to 55.5 mM 2-bromoethanesulfonate). Addition of a eubacterial inhibitor (vancomycin, 100 mg/liter) greatly reduced the rate of DCM degradation. 14CO2 was the principal product of [14C]DCM degradation, followed by 14CH4 (when methanogenesis was uninhibited) or 14CH3COOH (when methanogenesis was partially or completely inhibited). Hydrogen accumulated during DCM degradation and then returned to background levels when DCM was consumed. These results suggested that nonmethanogenic organisms mediated DCM degradation, oxidizing a portion to CO2 and fermenting the remainder to acetate; acetate formation suggested involvement of an acetogen. Methanogens in the enrichment culture then converted the products of DCM degradation to CH4. Aceticlastic methanogens were more easily inhibited by 2-bromoethanesulfonate and DCM than were CO2-reducing methanogens. When DCM was the sole organic-carbon and electron donor source supplied, its use as a growth substrate was demonstrated. The highest observed yield was 0.085 g of suspended organic carbon formed per g of DCM carbon consumed. Approximately 85% of the biomass formed was attributable to the growth of nonmethanogens, and 15% was attributable to methanogens.

Biodegradation of dichloromethane in waste water using a fluidized bed bioreactor

Biological treatment of a synthetic waste water containing 120 mM dichloromethane (10.2g/l) was carried out under aerobic conditions using dichloromethane-degrading bacteria as an inoculum. The bacteria were adsorbed to support particles and grown in a fluidized bed bioreactor. Charcoal and sand particles were compared as support materials with regard to abrasion, the maximum degradation rate for dichloromethane and the stability of the biological activity in the system.