Does anyone had experiences for Bioremediation of MTBE with bacteria?

Rafik Karaman

Dear Zabihollah,

Attached some publications deals with bioremedation of MTBE with bacteria:

1-Biodegradation of MTBE by Bacteria Isolated from oil Hydrocarbons- Contaminated Environments

Article 8, Volume 6, Issue 1, Winter 2012, Page 81-86 XML PDF (137 K)

Authors

1B. Lalevic ; 1V. Raicevic; 2D. Kikovic; 3L. Jovanovic; 1G. Surlan-Momirovic; 4J. Jovic; 5A.R. Talaie; 6F. Morina

1University of Belgrade, Faculty of agriculture, 11080 Belgrade-Zemun, Serbia

2Faculty of natural sciences, 38220 Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia

3Educons University, 21208 Sremska Kamenica, Serbia

4Institute for plant protection and environment 11080 Belgrade-Zemun, Serbia

5Jami Institute of Technology, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Najafabad, Iran

6Institute for multidisciplinary researches, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) belongs to the group of gasoline oxygenates and persistent

environment contaminants, and shows potential for biodegradation in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, through application of pure microbial cultures. Presented research shows that indigenous bacterial isolates 6sy and 24p, selected from oil hydrocarbons-contaminated environments, were capable of utilizing MTBE as sole carbon and energy source. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, bacterial isolates 6sy and 24p were identified as Staphylococcus saprophyticus subsp. saprophyticus and Pseudomonas sp., respectively. The MTBE

biodegradation rate was affected by longevity of incubation period and initial MTBE concentration. After 3 weeks of incubation at 25°C in a dark, the removal rates of initial 25 and 125 ppm MTBE concentrations by Staphylococcus saprophyticus 6sy were found to be 97, and 63%, respectively, while efficiency of Pseudomonas sp. in degradation of indicated concentrations was 96, and 40%, respectively. Both bacterial isolates were able to grow in MTBE-containing growth medium. Highest growth rate of bacterial isolates was observed at the end of incubation period. The presented results indicated the potential of these bacterial isolates in bioremediation of MTBE-contaminated environments.

2- Biodegradation of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) by a bacterial enrichment consortia and its monoculture isolates

Benedict C. Okekea,

William T. Frankenberger Jr.a, ,

doi:10.1078/0944-5013-00181

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Summary

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), an important gasoline additive, is a recalcitrant compound posing serious environmental health problems. In this study, MTBE-degrading bacteria were enriched from five environmental samples. Enrichments from Stewart Lake sediments and an MTBE contaminated soil displayed the highest rate of MTBE removal; 29.6 and 27.8% respectively, in 28 days. A total of 12 bacterial monocultures isolated from enrichment cultures were screened for MTBE degradation in liquid cultures. In a nutrient-limited medium containing MTBE as the sole source of carbon and energy, the highest rate of MTBE elimination was achieved with IsoSL1, which degraded 30.6 and 50.2% in 14 and 28 days, respectively. In a nutrient-rich medium containing ethanol and yeast extract, the bacterium (Iso2A) substantially removed MTBE (20.3 and 28.1% removal in 14 and 28 days, respectively). Based upon analysis of the 16s rRNA gene sequence and data base comparison, IsoSL1 and Iso2A were identified as a Streptomyces sp. and Sphingomonas sp., respectively. TheStreptomyces sp. is a new genera of bacteria degrading MTBE and could be useful for MTBE bioremediation.

3-Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 May; 69(5): 2616–2623.

doi: 10.1128/AEM.69.5.2616-2623.2003

PMCID: PMC154499

Naturally Occurring Bacteria Similar to the Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)-Degrading Strain PM1 Are Present in MTBE-Contaminated Groundwater

Krassimira Hristova, Binyam Gebreyesus, Douglas Mackay, and Kate M. Scow*

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ABSTRACT

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a widespread groundwater contaminant that does not respond well to conventional treatment technologies. Growing evidence indicates that microbial communities indigenous to groundwater can degrade MTBE under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Although pure cultures of microorganisms able to degrade or cometabolize MTBE have been reported, to date the specific organisms responsible for MTBE degradation in various field studies have not be identified. We report that DNA sequences almost identical (99% homology) to those of strain PM1, originally isolated from a biofilter in southern California, are naturally occurring in an MTBE-polluted aquifer in Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), Lompoc, California. Cell densities of native PM1 (measured by TaqMan quantitative PCR) in VAFB groundwater samples ranged from below the detection limit (in anaerobic sites) to 103 to 104 cells/ml (in oxygen-amended sites). In groundwater from anaerobic or aerobic sites incubated in microcosms spiked with 10 μg of MTBE/liter, densities of native PM1 increased to approximately 105 cells/ml. Native PM1 densities also increased during incubation of VAFB sediments during MTBE degradation. In controlled field plots amended with oxygen, artificially increasing the MTBE concentration was followed by an increase in the in situ native PM1 cell density. This is the first reported relationship between in situ MTBE biodegradation and densities of MTBE-degrading bacteria by quantitative molecular methods.

4- Biodegradation

March 2000, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp 187-201

First online:

Bioremediation of MTBE: a review from a practical perspective

Andrew J. Stocking

, Rula A. Deeb

, Amparo E. Flores

, William Stringfellow

, Jeffrey Talley

,Richard Brownell

, Michael C. Kavanaugh

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Abstract

The addition of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) to gasoline has resulted in public uncertainty regarding the continued reliance on biological processes for gasoline remediation. Despite this concern, researchers have shown that MTBE can be effectively degraded in the laboratory under aerobic conditions using pure and mixed cultures with half-lives ranging from 0.04 to 29 days. Ex-situ aerobic fixed-film and aerobic suspended growth bioreactor studies have demonstrated decreases in MTBE concentrations of 83% and 96% with hydraulic residence times of 0.3 hrs and 3 days, respectively. In microcosm and field studies, aerobic biodegradation half-lives range from 2 to 693 days. These half-lives have been shown to decrease with increasing dissolved oxygen concentrations and, in some cases, with the addition of exogenous MTBE-degraders. MTBE concentrations have also been observed to decrease under anaerobic conditions; however, these rates are not as well defined. Several detailed field case studies describing the use of ex-situ reactors, natural attenuation, and bioaugmentation are presented in this paper and demonstrate the potential for successful remediation of MTBE-contaminated aquifers. In conclusion, a substantial amount of literature is available which demonstratesthat the in-situ biodegradation of MTBE is contingent on achieving aerobic conditions in the contaminated aquifer.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1011126414642

5-WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL

Title: FEASIBILITY OF USING BIOAUGMENTATION WITH BACTERIAL

STRAIN PM 1 FOR BIOREMEDIATION OF MTBE-CONTAMINATED VADOSE

AND GROUNDWATER ENVIRONMENTS

Research Category: Category III Water Quality: wastewater treatment and reclamation

processes

Principal Investigator:

Kate M. Scow, Associate Professor

Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources

University of California, Davis

Accounting contact: Judy A’Day

Executive Summary

The fuel additive, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), has become a widespread

environmental contaminant in the past decade. Since MTBE was introduced to gasoline as an additive in 1988, its production has increased to 17 billion pounds per year and currently comprises up to 15% of some reformulated gasoline (Kirshner, 1995). This increased usage coupled with high incidences of leaking underground storage tanks has led to MTBE contamination of groundwater, soils and sediments. There is little evidence that extensive intrinsic remediation is occurring at MTBE contaminated sites. Thus it is important to explore the potential of using active bioremediation, a potentially promising technology for inexpensive treatment of MTBE contaminated groundwater. Many challenges must be overcome before bioremediation of MTBE can be successfully implemented at the field scale. Challenges include the identification and culturing of an MTBE-degrading inoculant, the engineering constraints associated with in situ remediation, and insurance of inoculant survival and activity in contaminated environments. Our laboratory has recently isolated a bacterial culture, Strain PM 1, which

is capable of using MTBE as its sole carbon and energy source at relatively rapid rates. In addition, a preliminary study indicates that the organism can also degrade MTBE when inoculated into a soil microcosm.

The objectives of this study are to measure the potential for and rates of biodegradation of MTBE in vadose and groundwater materials inoculated with Strain PM 1. We will also measure the survival of Strain PM 1 when it is inoculated into environmental samples, both contaminated and not contaminated with MTBE, and bioreactors. In order to more fully optimize conditions for use of Strain PM 1 as an inoculant we will continue to characterize the physiology of the bacterial strain with regard to nutrient and growth factor requirements, MTBE kinetic parameters, MTBE concentration range, maintenance of MTBE degrading activity, and starvation survival. Finally we will characterize the metabolic pathway of MTBE degradation by Strain PM 1. Predicted results and benefits of this study will be information about the feasibility of using Strain PM 1 in bioremediation of MTBE-contaminated subsurface environments and in bioreactors. This study will also increase our basic understanding of the physiology and metabolic activity of Strain PM 1 that can, in turn, be used to optimize bioremediation technologies involving Strain PM 1.

Key words: MTBE, bioremediation, biodegradation, microorganisms, groundwater

treatment, vadose, organic pollutants, inoculation, groundwater contamination.

Hoping this will be helpful,

Rafik