Availability of Nitrite and Nitrate as Electron Acceptors Modulates Anaerobic Toluene-Degrading Communities in Aquifer Sediments.

ABSTRACT: Microorganisms are essential in the degradation of environmental pollutants. Aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g., benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), are common aquifer contaminants, whose degradation in situ is often limited by the availability of electron acceptors. It is clear that different electron acceptors such as nitrate, iron, or sulfate support the activity of distinct degraders. However, this has not been demonstrated for the availability of nitrate vs. nitrite, both of which can be respired in reductive nitrogen cycling. Here via DNA-stable isotope probing, we report that nitrate and nitrite provided as electron acceptors in different concentrations and ratios not only modulated the microbial communities responsible for toluene degradation but also influenc

SUBMITTER: Zhu B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7456981 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature