Mineralization of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate by a four-member aerobic bacterial consortium

Desulfonation of Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonate Surfactants and Related Compounds by Bacteria

Pseudomonas putida S-313 (= DSM 6884) grew in sulfate-free medium when the sole sulfur source supplied was one of several arylsulfonates involved in the synthesis, application, or biodegradation of linear alkyl-benzenesulfonate (LAS) surfactants. 2-(4-Sulfophenyl)butyric acid, 4- n -butyl-1-methyl-6-sulfotetralin, and 4-toluenesulfonic acid were each completely utilized during growth, as were the model LAS 1-(4-sulfophenyl) octane and the arylsulfonate dyestuff Orange II. The product in each case was the corresponding phenol, which was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance. Stoichiometric conversion of 4-toluenesulfonic acid to 4-cresol was observed. The molar growth yields observed were 2.4 to 2.8 kg of protein per mol of S, which were comparable to the yield for sulfate. Commercial LAS disappeared from growth medium inoculated with strain S-313, but negligible growth occurred; digestion of cells in alkali led to recovery of the LAS mixture, which seemingly sorbed to the cells. However, mixed culture L6 was readily obtained from batch enrichment cultures containing commercial LAS as a sole sulfur source and an inoculum from domestic sewage. Culture L6 desulfonated components of the LAS surfactant to the corresponding phenols, which were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Compounds with shorter alkyl chains were desulfonated preferentially, as were the centrally substituted isomers. In the presence of 200 μM sulfate, culture L6 grew well and LAS disappeared, although this was due purely to sorption, as shown by digestion of the cells in alkali. Thus, under sulfate-limited conditions, LAS can be desulfonated directly.

Degradation of alkylphenol ethoxylates by Pseudomonas sp. strain TR01

An alkylphenol ethoxylate-degrading bacterium was isolated from activated sludge of a municipal sewage treatment plant by enrichment culture. This organism was found to belong to the genus Pseudomonas; since no corresponding species was identified, we designated it as Pseudomonas sp. strain TR01. This strain had an optimal temperature and pH of 30 degrees C and 7, respectively, for both growth and the degradation of Triton N-101 (a nonylphenol ethoxylate in which the average number of ethylene oxide [EO] units is 9.5). The strain was unable to mineralize Triton N-101 but was able to degrade its EO chain exclusively. The resulting dominant intermediate was identified by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as a nonylphenol ethoxylate with 2 mol of EO units. A carboxylated metabolite, [(nonylphenoxy)ethoxy]acetic acid, was detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This bacterium also metabolized alcohol ethoxylates with various numbers of EO units but not polyethylene glycols whatever their degree of polymerization. By oxygen consumption assay, the alkyl group or arene corresponding to the hydrophobic part of alcohol ethoxylates or alkylphenol ethoxylates was shown to contribute to the induction of the metabolic system of the EO chain of Triton N-101, instead of the EO chain itself, which corresponds to its hydrophilic part. Thus, the isolated pseudomonad bacterium has unique substrate assimilability: it metabolizes the EO chain only when the chain linked to bulky hydrophobic groups.