Effect of Monorhamnolipid Contribution on Anaerobic-Natural Attenuation of Explosives in Contaminated Soils
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 143, Issue 8
Abstract
At least 90% of the research on bioremediation has been based on the use of materials in cometabolism and/or as electron donors. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate biodegradation rates of explosives in soil in terms of economics and feasibility. Two lab-scale bioreactors were operated in this study, and results showed biodegradation rates of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) at 84 and 67% after 60 days compared with rates of 46 and 29% without the monorhamnolipid contribution. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was monitored during bioremediation and showed that reduction in COD concentration was directly proportional to desorption of intermediates from the soil matrix and their degradation, along with degradation of the parent compounds. Results also showed that the anaerobic condition for nitroaromatic bioreduction as the sole source of nitrogen was time consuming. The monorhamnolipid overcomes this challenge via enhanced biodegradation efficiency of nitroaromatics. Furthermore, application of the monorhamnolipid as in situ explosive bioremediation is feasible, suitable, environmentally friendly, and economical, especially in hot and wet areas with extensive contamination.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This study is a Ph.D. approved research project (No. 393924) performed at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Isfahan, Iran. The authors are thankful for the funding provided by the Department of Environmental Health Engineering and Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
References
Bhushan, B., Paquet, L., Spain, J. C., and Hawari, J. (2003). “Biotransformation of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) by denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. strain FA1.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 69(9), 5216–5221.
Bolton, J. R., and Cater, S. R. (1994). “Homogeneous photodegradation of pollutants in contaminated water: An introduction.” Chapter 33, Surface and aquatic environmental photochemistry, CRC Press, Boco Raton, FL.
Boopathy, R., Kulpa, C. F., and Manning, J. (1998). “Anaerobic biodegradation of explosives and related compounds by sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria: A review.” Bioresour. Technol., 63(1), 81–89.
Brust, H., van Asten, A., Koeberg, M., Dalmolen, J., van der Heijden, A., and Schoenmakers, P. (2014). “Accurate quantitation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate and its degradation products using liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry.” J. Chromatogr. A, 1338, 111–116.
Caballero, A., Lazaro, J. J., Ramos, J. L., and Esteve-Núñez, A. (2005). “PnrA, a new nitroreductase-family in the TNT-degrading strain Pseudomonas putida JLR11. Environ. Microbiol., 7(8), 1211–1219.
Christodoulatos, C., Bhaumik, S., and Brodman, B. W. (1997). “Anaerobic biodegradation of nitroglycerin.” Water Res., 31(6), 1462–1470.
Clark, B., and Boopathy, R. (2007). “Evaluation of bioremediation methods for the treatment of soil contaminated with explosives in Louisiana army ammunition plant, Minden, Louisiana.” J. Hazard. Mater., 143(3), 643–648.
Erkelens, M., et al. (2012). “Sustainable remediation—The application of bioremediated soil for use in the degradation of TNT chips.” J. Environ. Manage., 110, 69–76.
Esteve-Núñez, A., Caballero, A., and Ramos, J. L. (2001). “Biological degradation of 2, 4, 6- trinitrotoluene.” Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., 65(3), 335–352.
Fournier, D., Halasz, A., Spain, J., Fiurasek, P., and Hawari, J. (2002). “Determination of key metabolites during biodegradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine with Rhodococcus sp. strain DN22.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 68(1), 166–172.
Funk, S., Crawford, D., Crawford, R., Mead, G., and Davis-Hoover, W. (1995). “Full-scale anaerobic bioremediation of trinitrotoluene (TNT) contaminated soil.” Appl. Biochem. Biotech., 51(1), 625–633.
Geetha, M., and Fulekar, M. (2008). “Bioremediation of pesticides in surface soil treatment unit using microbial consortia.” Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Tech., 2(2), 036–045.
Georgie, N. E. (2011). “Biodegradation of 2,4,6 trinitrotoulene (TNT), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) & pentolite by environmental microbes.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melborne, VIC, Australia.
Hawari, J., et al. (2000). “Characterization of metabolites during biodegradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) with municipal anaerobic sludge.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 66(6), 2652–2657.
Hawari, J., Halasz, A., Beaudet, S., Paquet, L., Ampleman, G., and Thiboutot, S. (2001). “Biotransformation routes of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine by municipal anaerobic sludge.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 35(1), 70–75.
Hess, T. F., and Schrader, P. S. (2002). “Coupled abiotic-biotic mineralization of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT).” J. Environ. Qual., 31(3), 736–744.
Innemanová, P., et al. (2015). “Anaerobic in situ biodegradation of TNT using whey as an electron donor: A case study.” New Biotechnol., 32(6), 701–709.
Jacobucci, D. F. C., Oriani, M. R. D. G., and Durrant, L. R. (2009). “Reducing COD level on oily effluent by utilizing biosurfactant-producing bacteria.” Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol., 52(4), 1037–1042.
Kaczorek, E., Moszyńska, S., and Olszanowski, A. (2011). “Modification of cell surface properties of Pseudomonas alcaligenes S22 during hydrocarbon biodegradation.” Biodegradation, 22(2), 359–366.
Kucharzyk, K. H., Crawford, R. L., Cosens, B., and Hess, T. F. (2009). “Development of drinking water standards for perchlorate in the United States.” J. Environ. Manage., 91(2), 303–310.
Ławniczak, Ł., Marecik, R., and Chrzanowski, Ł. (2013). “Contributions of biosurfactants to natural or induced bioremediation.” Appl. Microbiol. Biotech., 97(6), 2327–2339.
Lee, T. (1994). “In vitro anaerobic trinitrotoluene (TNT) degradation with rumen fluid and an isolate.” Ph.D. thesis, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR.
Lin, T. C., Pan, P. T., Young, C. C., Chang, J. S., Chang, T. C., and Cheng, S. S. (2011) “Evaluation of the optimal strategy for ex situ bioremediation of diesel oil-contaminated soil.” Environ. Sci. Pollut. R., 18, 1487–1496.
Manickam, N., Bajaj, A., Saini, H. S., and Shanker, R. (2012) “Surfactant mediated enhanced biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers by Sphingomonas sp. NM05.” Biodegradation, 23, 673–682.
Moldes, A. B., Paradelo, R., Rubinos, D., Devesa-Rey, R., Cruz, J. M., and Barral, M. T. (2011). “Ex situ treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil using biosurfactants from Lactobacillus pentosus.” J. Agric. Food. Chem., 59(17), 9443–9447.
Moshe, S. S.-B., Dahan, O., Weisbrod, N., Bernstein, A., Adar, E., and Ronen, Z. (2012). “Biodegradation of explosives mixture in soil under different water-content conditions.” J. Hazard. Mater., 203, 333–340.
Mulligan, C. N. (2005). “Environmental applications for biosurfactants.” Environ. Pollut., 133(2), 183–198.
Neumann, S. (1999). “Chemischer sauerstoffbedarf (CSB)-biochemischer sauerstoffbedarf (BSB).” GRIN, München, Germany.
Numbera, A. A. C. (2006). “Method 8330B nitroaromatics, nitramines, and nitrate esters by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
Pansiripat, S., Pornsunthorntawee, O., Rujiravanit, R., Kitiyanan, B., Somboonthanate, P., and Chavadej, S. (2010). “Biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SP4 using sequencing batch reactors: Effect of oil-to-glucose ratio.” Biochem. Eng. J., 49(2), 185–191.
Rahal, A. G., and Moussa, L. A. (2011). “Degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by soil bacteria isolated from TNT contaminated soil.” Aust. J. Basic Appl. Sci., 5(2), 8–17.
Rice, E. W., Bridgewater, L., and American Public Health Association. (2012). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC.
Rodgers, J. D., and Bunce, N. J. (2001). “Treatment methods for the remediation of nitroaromatic explosives.” Water Res., 35(9), 2101–2111.
Ronen, Z., Yanovich, Y., Goldin, R., and Adar, E. (2008). “Metabolism of the explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in a contaminated vadose zone.” Chemosphere, 73(9), 1492–1498.
Singh, A., Kuhad, R. C., and Ward, O. P. (2009). Advances in applied bioremediation, Springer, Berlin.
Spanggord, R. J., Yao, D., and Mill, T. (2000). “Oxidation of aminodinitrotoluenes with ozone: Products and pathways.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 34(3), 450–454.
Thavasi, R., Jayalakshmi, S., and Banat, I. M. (2011). “Effect of biosurfactant and fertilizer on biodegradation of crude oil by marine isolates of Bacillus megaterium, Corynebacterium kutscheri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.” Bioresour. Technol., 102(2), 772–778.
Thiele, S., Fernandes, E., and Bollag, J.-M. (2002). “Enzymatic transformation and binding of labeled 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene to humic substances during an anaerobic/aerobic incubation.” J. Environ. Qual., 31(2), 437–444.
Widrig, D. L., Boopathy, R., and Manning, J. F. (1997). “Bioremediation of TNT-contaminated soil: A laboratory study.” Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 16(6), 1141–1148.
Zeng, G., et al. (2011). “Effect of monorhamnolipid on the degradation of n-hexadecane by Candida tropicalis and the association with cell surface properties.” Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 90(3), 1155–1161.
Zhang, Y., and Miller, R. M. (1992). “Enhanced octadecane dispersion and biodegradation by a Pseudomonas rhamnolipid surfactant (biosurfactant).” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 58, 3276–3282.
Zhuang, L. (2007). “Remediation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) contaminated water and soil.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Zhuang, L., Gui, L., and Gillham, R. W. (2012). “Biodegradation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) by anaerobic consortia from a contaminated site.” Chemosphere, 89(7), 810–816.
Ziganshin, A. M., Naumova, R. P., Pannier, A. J., and Gerlach, R. (2010a). “Aerobic degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by the yeast strain Geotrichum candidum AN-Z4.” Microbiology, 79, 199–205 (in Russian).
Ziganshin, A. M., Naumova, R. P., Pannier, A. J., and Gerlach, R. (2010b). “Influence of pH on 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene degradation by Yarrowia lipolytica.” Chemosphere, 79, 426–433 (in Russian).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 143 • Issue 8 • August 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 22, 2016
Accepted: Dec 22, 2016
Published ahead of print: Apr 2, 2017
Published online: Apr 3, 2017
Published in print: Aug 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Sep 3, 2017
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.