For the first time, this study shows the degradation pathway of phenanthrene by a Rhizobium strain. Because of its excellent stress resistance, metabolic versatility, high degradation efficiency and potential application in phytoremediation, Rh. petrolearium SL-1 is a potential candidate for the bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated areas.

In order to evaluate the impact of reclaimed water on the ecology of bacterial communities in the Typha angustifolia L. rhizosphere soil, bacterial community structure was investigated using a combination of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and 16S rRNA gene clone library. The results revealed significant spatial variation of bacterial communities along the river from upstream and downstream. For example, a higher relative abundance of γ-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and a lower proportion of β-Proteobacteria and ε-Proteobacteria was detected at the downstream site compared to the upstream site. Additionally, with an increase of the reclaimed water interference intensity, the rhizosphere bacterial community showed a decrease in taxon richness, evenness and diversity. The relative abundance of bacteria closely related to the resistant of heavy-metal was markedly increased, while the bacteria related for carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus/sulfur cycling wasn't strikingly changed. Besides that, the pathogenic bacteria markedly increased in the downstream rhizosphere soil since reclaimed water supplement, while the possible plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria obviously reduced in the downstream sediment.Together these data suggest cause and effect between reclaimed water input into the wetland, shift in bacterial communities through habitat change, and alteration of capacity for biogeochemical cycling of contaminants.