Naturally occurring bacteria similar to the methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)-degrading strain PM1 are present in MTBE-contaminated groundwater.

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 quantitati

SUBMITTER: Hristova K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC154499 | biostudies-literature | 2003 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature