Biodegradation and Metabolism of Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in the Bioaugmented Activated Sludge Batch Bioreactor System by Heterotrophic and Nitrifying Bacteria

Abstract

Tetrabromobisphenol A [2,4'-isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol)] has been identified in wastewater samples collected from the Guelph municipal wastewater treatment plant (GWWTP). In order to assess the kinetics and metabolic mechanisms of the dissolved TBBPA, bench scale experiments were completed with batch bioreactors. The biodegradation test was conducted by taking aerobic sludge from the conventional activated sludge reactor (CAS) and membrane bioreactor (MBR), and bioaugmenting both reactors with soil based strains of Bacillus brevis and Bacillus pumilus. This novel biodegradation process showed that the CAS bioreactor had a biodegradation rate of 0.127 d-1, while the sludge from the MBR had a biodegradation rate of 0.171 d-1. This is the first reported aerobic biodegradation of TBBPA by heterotrophic and nitrifying bacteria in an activated sludge bioreactor system. A tentative biotransformation metabolic scheme for TBBPA biodegradation and metabolite formation has been proposed as well.

Studies on the characteristics and mechanism of aerobic biodegradation of tetrabromobisphenol A by Irpex lacteus F17

“…Therefore, I. lacteus F17 is expected to be a good candidate for degrading TBBPA. Previous studies have demonstrated that TBBPA can be degraded by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in sewage, soil, activated sludge and sediments, and the mechanism of bacteria degrading TBBPA has been wellknown [17,18,29], little work has been done to elucidate the biodegradation characteristics and mechanisms of TBBPA by white-rot fungus.…”

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) degradation in anaerobic biosystems: from bioengineering to meta-omics

“…Oxic environments often favor micropollutant degradation compared to anaerobic settings, including TBBPA (McAvoy et al, 2016;Ghattas et al, 2017). Activated sludge is the main aerobic system investigated in TBBPA biotransformation as the primary (TBBPA-conversion) (McAvoy et al, 2016;Islam et al, 2018) or the secondary (BPA-conversion) strategy (Ronen and Abeliovich, 2000). The influence of different additives on TBBPA degradation by aerobic consortia has been investigated as much as for anaerobic communities (Table 1.1) and with similar results, suggesting that the degradation of TBBPA in aerobic environments is also driving by co-metabolic processes biostimulated by exogenous carbon sources.…”

“…The biological degradation of halogenated micropollutants is assumed to be possible under all redox conditions by a variety of bacterial and archeal species (Hardman, 1991;Peijnenburg et al, 1992;Haggblom, 1992;Fetzner, 1998;Ghattas et al, 2017). In bioreactors, TBBPA degradation by microbial species has been investigated over the past 20 years, aiming at optimizing bioprocesses mostly by evaluating operational parameters (pH, temperature, concentration, carbon source, and other amendments) and understanding isolated bacterial strain functions (Ronen and Abeliovich, 2000;Iasur-Kruh et al, 2010;Chang et al, 2012;Yang et al, 2016;Fan et al, 2017;Islam et al, 2018;Cheng et al, 2019;Lefevre et al, 2019;Lin et al, 2020). Nearly all studies on TBBPA bioconversion have been conducted at high concentrations, compared to its environmental occurrence (in ng L -1 or µg L -1 ), and by pure or enriched cultures under laboratory settings, which are too far from environmentally relevant conditions, but provide crucial insights into the metabolic mechanisms of TBBPA bioconversion.…”

“…The anaerobic degradation of TBBPA in bioreactors has been mostly investigated by evaluating operational parameters (pH, temperature, concentration, carbon source, and others amendments) and understanding isolated bacterial strains functions (Ronen et al, 2000;Iasur-Kruh et al, 2010;Chang et al, 2012;Yang et al, 2016;Fan et al, 2017;Islam et al, 2018;Cheng et al, 2019;Lefevre et al, 2019;Lin et al, 2020). However, the role of each anaerobic digestion stage on TBBPA biodegradation has not been addressed.…”