Origin of p-cresol in the anaerobic degradation of trinitrotoluene

• Published in: Canadian journal of microbiology Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 119 - 124
• Main Authors: Shen, C.F, Hawari, J.A, Ampleman, G, Thiboutot, S, Guiot, S.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, ON National Research Council of Canada 01.02.2000; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: amino acid degradation; anaerobes; Anaerobiosis; aromatic hydrocarbons; bacteria; Biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; bioremediation; Biotechnology; Carbon Isotopes; Cresols - chemistry; Cresols - metabolism; Environment and pollution; Explosives; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hazardous materials; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Metabolites; Microbiology; organic nitrogen compounds; p-Cresol; R&D; Research & development; Slurries; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; trinitrotoluene; Trinitrotoluene - chemistry; Trinitrotoluene - metabolism; Trinitrotoluene - pharmacology; Waste disposal; Biodegradation; Metabolic intermediate; Microbial activity; Trinitrotoluene; Cresol; Pollutant; Soils; Bioreactor; Decontamination; Anaerobe; Aromatic compound; Bioremediation; Inhibition
• ISSN: 0008-4166; 1480-3275
• DOI: 10.1139/cjm-46-2-119

p-Cresol was repeatedly detected as a trace metabolite in anaerobic slurry reactors treating 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)-contaminated soils. This study shows that p-cresol was not a metabolite of the anaerobic degradation of TNT, by using a combination of analytical techniques and 13C-labelled TNT. Instead, p-cresol, an intermediate in the degradation pathway of some amino acids, was shown to be inhibited by TNT and its metabolites. The range and persistence of inhibition to p-cresol microbial degradation decreased with the level of amino-substitution of the derivatives. This explains why p-cresol accumulated within the TNT-treating anaerobic bioslurry, as it could not be further biodegraded in the presence of TNT.