Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Enhanced biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in contaminated soils via inoculation with Sphingobium indicum B90A
 
research article

Enhanced biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in contaminated soils via inoculation with Sphingobium indicum B90A

Raina, Vishakha
•
Suar, Mrutyunjay
•
Singh, Ajaib
Show more
2008
Biodegradation

Soil pollution with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) has caused serious environmental problems. Here we describe the targeted degradation of all HCH isomers by applying the aerobic bacterium Sphingobium indicum B90A. In particular, we examined possibilities for large-scale cultivation of strain B90A, tested immobilization, storage and inoculation procedures, and determined the survival and HCH-degradation activity of inoculated cells in soil. Optimal growth of strain B90A was achieved in glucose-containing mineral medium and up to 65% culturability could be maintained after 60 days storage at 30°C by mixing cells with sterile dry corncob powder. B90A biomass produced in water supplemented with sugarcane molasses and immobilized on corncob powder retained 15–20% culturability after 30 days storage at 30°C, whereas full culturability was maintained when cells were stored frozen at −20°C. On the contrary, cells stored on corncob degraded γ-HCH faster than those that had been stored frozen, with between 15 and 85% of γ-HCH disappearance in microcosms within 20 h at 30°C. Soil microcosm tests at 25°C confirmed complete mineralization of [14C]-γ-HCH by corncob-immobilized strain B90A. Experiments conducted in small pits and at an HCH-contaminated agricultural site resulted in between 85 and 95% HCH degradation by strain B90A applied via corncob, depending on the type of HCH isomer and even at residual HCH concentrations. Up to 20% of the inoculated B90A cells survived under field conditions after 8 days and could be traced among other soil microorganisms by a combination of natural antibiotic resistance properties, unique pigmentation and PCR amplification of the linA genes. Neither the addition of corncob nor of corncob immobilized B90A did measurably change the microbial community structure as determined by T-RFLP analysis. Overall, these results indicate that on-site aerobic bioremediation of HCH exploiting the biodegradation activity of S. indicum B90A cells stored on corncob powder is a promising technology.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1007/s10532-007-9112-z
Web of Science ID

WOS:000251842500004

Author(s)
Raina, Vishakha
Suar, Mrutyunjay
Singh, Ajaib
Prakash, Om
Dadhwal, Mandeep
Gupta, Sanjay Kumar
Dogra, Charu
Lawlor, Kirsten
Lal, Sukanya
Roelof van der Meer, Jan
Show more
Date Issued

2008

Published in
Biodegradation
Volume

19

Issue

1

Start page

27

End page

40

Subjects

Bioaugmentation

•

HCH contaminated site

•

Sphingobium indicum B90A

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LBE  
Available on Infoscience
January 31, 2008
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/17333
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés