Quinoline Biodegradation Research Articles

The roles of Rhodococcus ruber in denitrification with quinoline as the electron donor

Denitrification is an important step in domestic wastewater treatment, but providing bioavailable electron donors is an expense. However, some industrial wastewaters contain organic compounds that could be a no-cost or low-cost electron donor, because they otherwise must be treated separately. In this work, quinoline was used as an electron donor to drive denitrification through bioaugmentation with Rhodococcus ruber, which is able to biodegrade quinoline. When quinoline-acclimated biomass (QAB) was used for denitrification, addition of R. ruber accelerated biodegradation of quinoline and its first mono-oxygenation intermediate (2-hydroxyquinoline). Although R. ruber was not directly active in denitrification, its biodegradation of quinoline and 2-hydroxyquinoline supplied products that other bacteria used to respire nitrate. In contrast, glucose-acclimated biomass (GAB) could not achieve effective denitrification with quinoline, whether or not R. ruber was added. Analysis by high-throughout sequencing showed that genera Ignavibacterium, Ferruginibacter, Limnobacter, and Denitrosoma were important during quinoline biodegradation with denitrification by QAB. In summary, bioaugmented R. ruber and endogenous bacterial strains had complementary roles when biodegrading quinoline to enhance denitrification. The significance of this study is to enable the use of industrial wastewater to provide electron donor to drive denitrification.

Biodegradation of quinoline by Nitrosomonas mobilis Ms1 through nitrification: A mechanistic study

Effluents from pharmaceutical and coal gasification industries contain recalcitrant aromatic pollutants such as quinoline. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) has been known to simultaneously oxidize ammonia and aromatic compounds. This study investigated the impact of quinoline, a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic compound, on nitrification by pure culture of AOB- Nitrosomonas mobilis Ms1. Quinoline has been found to inhibit nitrification to suspension culture by IC 50 value 40.01 μM. However, biofilm culture could withstand its inhibitory effect upto 50 μM. Morphological analysis of biofilm culture showed destruction in extracellularpolymeric substances (EPS) in the presence of quinoline at concentration of 1.5 mM and above. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the biofilm surface showed loss of NH4+ peak in quinoline treated biofilm which indicated lower protein in EPS. Biodegradation analysis showed pyridine derivatives – 2,3-Pyridinedicarbonitrile, 2,4-Dicyanopyridine, and Pyridine, 2-[(3-methoxyphenyl) methyl] and hydroxylated aromatic such as 3-Hydroxy-4-methylbenzaldehyde and phenol, 4-[2-(methylamino) ethyl] as metabolic intermediates of quinoline degradation. These metabolic intermediates have been found to inhibit nitrification by blocking enzyme active site. Quinoline caused change in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profile which resulted in higher fraction of unsaturated FAME. This is one of the pioneer studies on quinoline biodegradation by a pure culture of AOB species, which could in turn aid to improve the efficacy of biological treatment of nitrogen-containing (heterocyclic compounds such as quinoline) wastewater.

Aerobic biodegradation of quinoline under denitrifying conditions in membrane-aerated biofilm reactor

Aerobic denitrification is being investigated as a novel biological nitrogen removal process, yet the knowledge on aerobic denitrification is limited to pure culture isolations and its occurrence in bioreactors remains unclear. This study investigated the feasibility and capacity of applying aerobic denitrification in membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) for biological treatment of quinoline-laden wastewater. Stable and efficient removals of quinoline (91.5 ± 5.2%) and nitrate (NO3−) (86.5 ± 9.3%) were obtained under different operational conditions. Enhanced formation and function of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were observed at increasing quinoline loadings. MABR biofilm was highly enriched with aerobic quinoline-degrading bacteria, with a predominance of Rhodococcus (26.9 ± 3.7%) and secondary abundance of Pseudomonas (1.7 ± 1.2%) and Comamonas (0.94 ± 0.9%). Metagenomic analysis indicated that Rhodococcus contributed significantly to both aromatic degradation (24.5 ± 21.3%) and NO3− reduction (4.5 ± 3.9%), indicating its key role in aerobic denitrifying quinoline biodegradation. At increasing quinoline loadings, abundances of aerobic quinoline degradation gene oxoO and denitrifying genes of napA, nirS and nirK increased; there was a significant positive correlation of oxoO with nirS and nirK (p < 0.05). Aerobic quinoline degradation was likely initiated by hydroxylation, encoded by oxoO, followed by stepwise oxidations through 5,6-dihydroxy-1H-2-oxoquinoline or 8-hydroxycoumarin pathway. The results advance our understanding of quinoline degradation during biological nitrogen removal, and highlight the potential implementation of aerobic denitrification driven quinoline biodegradation in MABR for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and recalcitrant organic carbon from coking, coal gasification and pharmaceutical wastewaters.

Bio-augmentation effect of Achromobacter sp. strain JWJ-09 on quinoline and real coking wastewater under methanol co-metabolism

Quinoline is a refractory substance found in industrial wastewater. The biodegradation of quinoline by the novel Achromobacter sp. strain JWJ-09 in an inorganic salt medium was investigated over a wide range of initial quinoline concentrations (100–700 mg·l−1), with methanol as the co-metabolic substrate. Nearly complete degradation of 300 mg·l−1 quinoline was achieved at 32 h accompanied by bacterial growth when 100 mg·l−1 methanol was added to the quinoline-containing solution. Strain JWJ-09 showed strong quinoline degradability. Quinoline degradation was demonstrated through the 8-hydroxycoumarin metabolic pathway. The cell growth kinetics was evaluated by using the Haldane model. Both the maximum specific growth rate (μmax = 0.67 h−1) and the substrate inhibition coefficient (Ki = 795.02 mg·l−1) were higher than those observed by other researchers. This indicated that strain JWJ-09 grew faster and could tolerate higher quinoline concentrations. Furthermore, under methanol co-metabolizing, strain JWJ-09 together with the activated sludge was used to treat the real coking wastewater, quinolone could be degraded in only 24 h and TOC (total organic carbon) removal efficiency reached 90.75 %. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that the biological enhancement effect of strain JWJ-09 and methanol was obvious, which could increase the abundance of the dominant bacteria in the activated sludge. The results confirmed that strain JWJ-09 could be used to treat the quinoline-containing wastewater.

Biodegradation of Quinoline by a Newly Isolated Salt-Tolerating Bacterium Rhodococcus gordoniae Strain JH145.

Quinoline is a typical nitrogen-heterocyclic compound with high toxicity and carcinogenicity which exists ubiquitously in industrial wastewater. In this study, a new quinoline-degrading bacterial strain Rhodococcus sp. JH145 was isolated from oil-contaminated soil. Strain JH145 could grow with quinoline as the sole carbon source. The optimum growth temperature, pH, and salt concentration were 30 °C, 8.0, and 1%, respectively. 100 mg/L quinoline could be completely removed within 28 h. Particularly, strain JH145 showed excellent quinoline biodegradation ability under a high-salt concentration of 7.5%. Two different quinoline degradation pathways, a typical 8-hydroxycoumarin pathway, and a unique anthranilate pathway were proposed based on the intermediates identified by liquid chromatography–time of flight mass spectrometry. Our present results provided new candidates for industrial application in quinoline-contaminated wastewater treatment even under high-salt conditions.

Effect of Quinoline on the Phospholipid Profile of Curvularia lunata and Its Microbial Detoxification.

Quinoline is an N-heterocyclic compound commonly found in wastewater, especially that derived from coal processing, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, the microscopic fungus Curvularia lunata IM 4417, which is known to degrade various xenobiotics, was used. The aim of the research was to study the elimination of quinoline and its influence on fungal phospholipids, which are considered to be excellent indicators of environmental monitoring. Quinoline biodegradation products and phospholipid contents were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. C. lunata IM 4417 degraded quinoline, which led to the formation of conjugates of glucose with hydroxylated derivatives of the compound. Toxicity tests (Artoxkit M and Microtox assay) indicated that the elimination of lower concentrations of quinoline was efficient and led to a reduction in sample toxicity. The presence of quinoline also significantly affected the profile of fatty acids and phospholipids. The addition of quinoline to a culture of C. lunata IM 4417 caused an increase in the content of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and a decrease in the amount of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), two major structural lipids. Additionally, decreases in the contents of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylserine (PS), which are responsible for tolerance to toxic substances, cell viability, and signal transduction, were noted. Thus, it can be concluded that the presence of quinoline modifies the membrane composition, and this change may be an important indicator of the presence of N-heterocyclic compounds or other toxins in the environment.

Aerobic Biodegradation of Quinoline Under Denitrifying Conditions in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor

Aerobic Biodegradation of Quinoline Under Denitrifying Conditions in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor

Synergy of strains that accelerate biodegradation of pyridine and quinoline

Three bacterial strains were isolated from activated sludge acclimated to biodegrade pyridine and quinoline simultaneously. The strains were identified as Bacillus tropicus, Bacillus aquimaris, and Rhodococcus ruber. When the isolated bacteria were used for pyridine and quinoline biodegradation in separate or combined modes, R. ruber had much faster kinetics, and combining R. ruber with one or both of the Bacillus strains increased further the biodegradation kinetics. For example, the time needed for complete biodegradation of 1 mM quinoline and pyridine decreased to 20 h and 6 h, respectively, with the three strains combined, compared to 26 h and 7 h with R. ruber alone. Whereas quinoline was completely mineralized by all three strains, 10–14% of the pyridine persisted as a dead-end product, 2-hydroxypyridine (2HP). The acclimated sludge from which the three bacterial species were isolated was able to transform 2HP, and adding the bacterial strains (especially R. ruber) to the acclimated sludge accelerated the rate of 2HP removal and mineralization through a form of synergy.

Enhanced biodegradation of quinoline and indole with a novel symbiotic system of Polyurethane-chlorella-bacteria

Nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds in coal gasification wastewater have a great threat to human health and ecological environment. In recent years, algal-bacterial symbiotic system has been applied to industrial wastewater treatment. The aim of this work was to study an algal-bacteria symbiotic system of Polyurethane(PU)-chlorella-bacteria for strengthening degradation of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds. The results indicated PU-chlorella-bacteria system showed better stability and higher degradation ratio on quinoline and indole. Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) was released from the transformation of quinoline and indole in PU-chlorella-bacteria, and the presence of chlorella could decrease the NH3-N concentration. Illumination time of 12 h/24 h was more conducive to the degradation of refractory pollutants. Under the enhancement of PU-chlorella-bacteria, acute toxicity analysis demonstrated that the toxic inhibition on barley seeds decreased effectively. Enriched Chlorobaculum, Aquabacterium, Levilinea, and Longilinea may be responsible for the degradation of quinoline and indole.

Quinoline biodegradation characteristics of a new quinoline‐degrading strain, Pseudomonas citronellolis PY1

AbstractBACKGROUNDQuinoline exerts inhibitory effects on microorganisms in the biological process. However, microbial degradation of quinoline is feasible, and bacteria with quinoline‐degrading ability have gained increasing attention, making it possible to improve the bioremediation performance of wastewater. Therefore, this article focused on the quinoline removal performance of a new strain Pseudomonas citronellolis PY1.RESULTSThe optimal conditions of strain PY1 for quinoline removal are incubation temperature 30 °C, dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.69 mg/L and pH 7.0–9.0. For strain PY1, complete removal of quinoline could be achieved within 18 h. Zinc ions (Zn2+) have less toxicity to PY1 than cadmium ions (Cd2+), and efficient removal of quinoline occurs within 50 mg/L Zn2+ and 30 mg/L Cd2+. Through high‐performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS) analysis, five major intermediates were identified in the quinoline biodegradation process. On the basis of these intermediates and gas detection, strain PY1 is suggested to degrade quinoline through the typical 8‐hydroxy coumarin pathway.CONCLUSIONStrain PY1 could utilize quinoline as the sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth, and show superior quinoline biodegradation performance, as indicated by simultaneous biomass growth and high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal accompanied with quinoline removal. All the results provide a theoretical base for treating actual wastewater containing quinoline. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Comparative characterization and functional genomic analysis of two Comamonas sp. strains for biodegradation of quinoline

AbstractBACKGROUNDQuinoline is an ubiquitous pollutant widely spread in the environment, which can be eliminated efficiently by microbial degradation. In this study, two quinoline‐degrading Comamonas sp. strains Z1 and Z3 were isolated from activated sludge, and the degradation characteristics and genome annotation were investigated in detail.RESULTSStrain Z1 exhibited a superior capacity for quinoline degradation, which could completely degrade 50–300 mg L−1 quinoline within 8–24 h, whereas strain Z3 required 14–36 h to remove 50–200 mg L−1 quinoline. The suitable pHs for strains Z1 and Z3 were 8.0 and 7.0, respectively, and metal ions such as Mn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Co2+ and Hg2+ could greatly inhibit bacterial growth and quinoline degradation. Intermediates of 2‐hydroxyquinoline, 2,8‐dihydroxyquinoline, 8‐hydroxycoumarin, 2,3‐dihydroxyphenylpropionic acids and 2‐hydroxy‐6‐oxonona‐2,4‐diene‐1,9‐dioate were detected by liquid chromatography coupled to Q‐Exactive high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Thus, the biodegradation of quinoline by Comamonas sp. strains possibly proceeded via the 8‐hydroxycoumarin pathway. Genomic sequencing of strains Z1 and Z3 revealed a similar pattern, and a large number of functional genes were predicted to participate in degradation of aromatics. The key genes responsible for quinoline degradation also were identified, such as qor, mhp and bph. Furthermore, quinoline 2‐oxidoreductase (Qor) from strains Z1 and Z3 displayed 47.74%–61.17% similarities with previously reported Qor, which catalyzed the first step of quinoline degradation, and the maximal specific activity in cell‐free extracts of strains Z1 and Z3 was 0.264 and 0.062 U mg protein−1, respectively.CONCLUSIONThis study should provide efficient microbial resources and useful genomic information for quinoline bioremediation. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Dynamic characteristics of AHLs-secreting strain Aeromonas sp. A-L2 and its bioaugmentation during quinoline biodegradation.

In order to probe a more environmentally friendly method of pollutant treatment based on microbial bioaugmentation and quorum sensing (QS) effects. The dynamic characteristics and QS effects of the acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs)-secreting strain Aeromonas sp. A-L2 (A-L2), which was isolated from the activated sludge system, was discussed. According to the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry results, N-butyryl-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL) and N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) were the major AHLs secreted by strain A-L2, and the swarming of strain Ochrobactrum sp. LC-1 (LC-1) was induced by these compounds. The extracellular polymeric substance secretion of the strain LC-1 was mainly led by C6-HSL, and the biofilm formation ability was mainly influenced by C6-HSL or C4-HSL (60μgl-1 ). The optimal AHLs secretion conditions of strain A-L2 were also studied. Drawing support from the AHLs-secreting strain A-L2 during quinoline degradation by strain LC-1, the degradation time was greatly shortened. Hence, AHLs-secreting strain A-L2 can be useful as an AHLs continuous supplier during bioaugmentation and pollutant biodegradation. The bioaugmentation process of strain A-L2 on quinoline biodegradation based on QS effects would lay a certain theoretical and practical significance for large-scale applications.

Induction Conditions and Kinetic Properties of Quinoline Biodegradation by a Newly Isolated Bacterial Strain

Induction Conditions and Kinetic Properties of Quinoline Biodegradation by a Newly Isolated Bacterial Strain

Biodegradation of Quinoline by Hydrogel Beads of Activated Sludge in the Air-Lift Bioreactor

Quinoline is a nitrogen heterocyclic compound (NHC) with a molecular formula of C9H7N. Microbial degradation of quinoline occurs under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In this study, the aerobic biodegradation of quinoline was investigated with activated sludge which was taken from a municipal sewage wastewater treatment plant in the air-lift bioreactor (ALBR).The activated sludge was entrapped in poly-vinyl-alcohol-calcium alginate (PVA-Ca alginate) hydrogel beads. The optimal conditions for microbial cells entrapment, such as Ca-alginate concentration, biomass concentration in the hydrogel bead and bead size, were determined with concerning to improve the quinoline degradation rate. Also, the initial quinoline concentration was determined. The optimum temperature and initial pH for quinoline degradation were 30°C and pH 7–8, respectively. During the biodegradation process, the culture broth became yellow and brown in turn, which indicated that several intermediates were generated. The results showed that the diversity of microbial cells improves and accelerates the quinoline biodegradation. The repeated use of the hydrogel beads for quinoline degradation was performed and the results revealed that the beads were active and intact up to 4 successive cycles without breakage or loss their stability in the continuous mode. Thus, (PVA-Ca alginate) hydrogel beads have great potential to be a matrix for the cell immobilization in quinoline biodegradation. The various initial concentrations of quinoline (50, 100, 250, and 500mg/L) were completely degraded in batch-mode experiments; under optimal conditions: PVA conc., 80%w/v; calcium alginate conc., 20%w/v; initial biomass concentration the hydrogel bead, 3mL / 10 mL of gel solution; and the hydrogel bead size, about 3mm in diameter, at different time intervals (4, 6, 10, and 14h), respectively.

Bioavailable electron donors leached from leaves accelerate biodegradation of pyridine and quinoline

Fallen leaves of Platanus orientalis and Ginkgo biloba linn were separately immersed in water to obtain leachates that were used as exogenous electron donors for accelerating pyridine and quinoline biodegradations. Leachate addition accelerated the pyridine removal rate by up to 4.4% and 3.6% and the quinoline removal rate by 9.5% and 11%. The rates increased further after the leachates were illuminated by UV light: up to 8.5% for pyridine and 12% for quinoline. Succinate and oxalate were separately added into solutions of pyridine and quinoline (respectively) to gauge the acceleration impact of the leaf leachates. Equations describing the relationships between addition of leachate and pyridine or quinoline removal rates were established based on electron-equivalent balances and comparison to the acceleration effects from succinate and oxalate. From 22% to 98% of the COD leached from leaves was available as an electron donor, with the fraction being greater for pyridine and after UV illumination.

Competition for molecular oxygen and electron donor between phenol and quinoline during their simultaneous biodegradation

Abstract It is common that phenol and quinoline co-exist in the same industrial wastewater, such as coking wastewater. For both biodegradations, the initial steps are mono-oxygenation reactions, which require two co-substrates: molecular oxygen (O2) and an intercellular electron donor (2H). Competition for O2 and 2H was investigated using a vertical baffled bioreactor (VBBR) with a biofilm acclimated to phenol and quinoline biodegradation. Batch experiments documented mutual inhibition between phenol and quinoline, which competed for O2, 2H, or both during simultaneous biodegradation. Low DO was a limiting factor for phenol and quinoline biodegradations, as both rates slowed significantly for DO ≤ 3 mg/L, compared to DO ≥ 5 mg/L. A DO concentration of 0.5 mg/L led to 89% and 65% slower removal kinetics for phenol and quinoline, respectively. Although adding succinate as an exogenous electron donor was able to alleviate competition when the DO was 4 ∼ 5 mg/L, it had no benefit for a DO ≤ 3 mg/L. Thus, significant DO limitation could not be overcome by addition of more donor. The results imply that a strategy that involves adding or creating an exogenous electron donor may be effective only when DO is not significantly rate limiting for the initial oxygenation reactions.

A Novel ZnONPs/PVA-Functionalized Biomaterials for Bacterial Cells Immobilization and its Strengthening Effects on Quinoline Biodegradation

A novel bacterial cells immobilized carrier (ZnONPs/PVA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites decorated with ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), was prepared and used for immobilization of the strain Ochrobactrum sp. LC-1, and subsequently for quinoline degrading in water. Characterization of ZnONPs/PVA by using X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that ZnO NPs were coated on the surface of PVA cubes evenly and the bacterium grew well on the ZnONPs/PVA. Quinoline biodegradation results showed that the degradation effect of quinoline by ZnONPs/PVA immobilized cells was superior to the free cells significantly. The structure and physical properties of ZnNPs/PVA were maintained steady after the reuse of ZnNPs/PVA for cells immobilization several times. Reusability of the ZnONPs/PVA immobilized cells revealed that the quinoline removal ratio was above 97% within 8h under the conditions of pH neutral, 37°C when the initial quinoline concentration was 300mg/L.

Competition for electrons between pyridine and quinoline during their simultaneous biodegradation.

Biodegradation of pyridine and quinoline is initiated with mono-oxygenation reactions that require an intracellular electron donor. Simultaneous biodegradation of both substrates should set up competition for the intracellular electron donor that may inhibit one or more of the mono-oxygenation steps. An internal circulation baffled biofilm reactor (ICBBR) was used to evaluate the impacts of competition during pyridine and quinoline biodegradation. Compared with independent biodegradation, pyridine and quinoline removal rates were slowed when biodegraded simultaneously, although the pyridine removal rate decreased more than for quinoline. The first mono-oxygenation of quinoline (to 2-hydroxyquinoline) always was faster than the first mono-oxygenation of pyridine (to 2-hydroxypyridine), and the difference was accentuated with pyridine and quinoline which were biodegraded simultaneously due to the competition for intracellular electron donor. Competition also existed between the second mono-oxygenations, and the removal rate of 2-hydroxypyridine was faster than the rate for 2-hydroxyquinoline, even though the rate was faster for quinoline than pyridine. Adding an exogenous electron donor accelerated all mono-oxygenations in proportion to the amount of donor added, but the increments were greater for quinoline due to its higher affinity for intracellular electron donors than pyridine. When actual coking wastewater was used as the background matrix, removals of pyridine and quinoline exhibited the same competitive trends.

Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of quinoline and 3-methylquinoline.

Compound-specific isotope analysis has been used extensively to investigate the biodegradation of various organic pollutants. To date, little isotope fractionation information is available for the biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. In this study, we report on the carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation during quinoline and 3-methylquinoline aerobic microbial degradation by a Comamonas sp. strain Q10. Degradation of quinoline and 3-methylquinoline was accompanied by isotope fractionation. Large hydrogen and small carbon isotope fractionation was observed for quinoline while minor carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation effects occurred for 3-methylquinoline. Bulk carbon and hydrogen enrichment factors (ε bulk) for quinoline biodegradation were -1.2±0.1 and -38±1‰, respectively, while -0.7±0.1 and -5±1‰ for 3-methylquinoline, respectively. This reveals a potential advantage for employing quinoline as the model compound and hydrogen isotope analysis for assessing aerobic biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. The apparent kinetic isotope effects (AKIEC) values of carbon were 1.008±0.0005 for quinoline and 1.0048±0.0005 for 3-methylquinoline while AKIEH values of hydrogen of 1.264±0.011 for quinoline and 1.0356±0.0103 for 3-methylquinoline were obtained. The combined evaluation of carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation yields Λ values (Λ=Δδ2H/Δδ13C≈εHbulk/εCbulk) of 29±2 for quinoline and 8±2 for 3-methylquinoline. The results indicate that the substrate specificity may have a significant influence on the isotope fractionation for the biodegradation of quinolinic compounds. The substrate-specific isotope enrichment factors would be important for assessing the behavior and fate of quinolinic compounds in the environment.

Quinoline biodegradation by filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans and adaptive modifications of the fungal membrane composition.

Quinoline, which belongs to N-heterocyclic compounds, occurs naturally in the environment and is used in numerous industrial processes. The structures of various chemicals, such as dyes and medicines, are based on this compound. Due to that fact, quinoline and its derivatives are widely distributed in environment and can exert toxic effects on organisms from different trophic levels. The ability of the filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans IM 1785/21Gp to degrade quinoline and modulate the membrane composition in response to the pollutant was studied. C. elegans IM 1785/21Gp removes quinoline with high efficiency and transforms the pollutant into two novel hydroxylated derivatives, 2-hydroxyquinoline and 3-hydroxyquinoline. Moreover, due to the disruption in the membrane stability by quinoline, C. elegans IM 1785/21Gp modulates the fatty acid composition and phospholipid profile.