Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 14, Issue 5, Pages 1171-1181Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02697.x
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Funding
- European Union [FP6-SUSTDEV-2003-505428]
- Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK)
- Netherlands
- State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil (FAPESP) [2006/01997-5]
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brazil (CNPq) [202134/2007-5]
- Chemical Science division of the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO) [CW-TOP 700.55.343]
- Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [06/01997-5] Funding Source: FAPESP
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An anaerobic microbial community was enriched in a chemostat that was operated for more than 8 years with benzene and nitrate as electron acceptor. The coexistence of multiple species in the chemostat and the presence of a biofilm, led to the hypothesis that benzene-degrading species coexist in a syntrophic interaction, and that benzene can be degraded in syntrophy by consortia with various electron acceptors in the same culture. The benzene-degrading microorganisms were identified by DNA-stable isotope probing with [U-13C]-labelled benzene, and the effect of different electron donors and acceptors on benzene degradation was investigated. The degradation rate constant of benzene with nitrate (0.7 day-1) was higher than reported previously. In the absence of nitrate, the microbial community was able to use sulfate, chlorate or ferric iron as electron acceptor. Bacteria belonging to the Peptococcaceae were identified as dominant benzene consumers, but also those related to Rhodocyclaceae and Burkholderiaceae were found to be associated with the anaerobic benzene degradation process. The benzene degradation activity in the chemostat was associated with microbial growth in biofilms. This, together with the inhibiting effect of hydrogen and the ability to degrade benzene with different electron acceptors, suggests that benzene was degraded via a syntrophic process.
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