TY - JOUR

T1 - Bacterial mineralization of phenanthrene on thermally activated palygorskite

T2 - A 14C radiotracer study

AU - Biswas, Bhabananda

AU - Sarkar, Binoy

AU - Naidu, Ravi

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - Clay-bacterial interaction can significantly influence the biodegradation of organic contaminants in the environment. A moderate heat treatment of palygorskite could alter the physicochemical properties of the clay mineral and thus support the growth and function of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria. By using 14C-labelled phenanthrene and a model bacterium Burkholderia sartisoli, we studied the mineralization of phenanthrene on the surface of a moderately heat-treated (up to 400 °C) palygorskite. The heat treatment at 400 °C induced a reduction of binding sites (e.g., by the elimination of organic matter and/or channel shrinkage) in the palygorskite and thus imparted a weaker sequestration of phenanthrene on its surface and within the pores. As a result, a supplement with the thermally modified palygorskite (400 °C) significantly increased (20–30%; p < 0.05) the biomineralization of total phenanthrene in a simulated soil slurry system. These results are highly promising to develop a clay mineral based technology for the bioremediation of PAH contaminants in water and soil environments.

AB - Clay-bacterial interaction can significantly influence the biodegradation of organic contaminants in the environment. A moderate heat treatment of palygorskite could alter the physicochemical properties of the clay mineral and thus support the growth and function of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria. By using 14C-labelled phenanthrene and a model bacterium Burkholderia sartisoli, we studied the mineralization of phenanthrene on the surface of a moderately heat-treated (up to 400 °C) palygorskite. The heat treatment at 400 °C induced a reduction of binding sites (e.g., by the elimination of organic matter and/or channel shrinkage) in the palygorskite and thus imparted a weaker sequestration of phenanthrene on its surface and within the pores. As a result, a supplement with the thermally modified palygorskite (400 °C) significantly increased (20–30%; p < 0.05) the biomineralization of total phenanthrene in a simulated soil slurry system. These results are highly promising to develop a clay mineral based technology for the bioremediation of PAH contaminants in water and soil environments.

KW - C radiotracer

KW - Bioremediation

KW - Clay-bacterial interaction

KW - Heat treatment

KW - Palygorskite

KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.037

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.037

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27863871

AN - SCOPUS:84996536504

VL - 579

SP - 709

EP - 717

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

SN - 0048-9697

ER -