Characterization of Alpha-Pinene-Degrading Microorganisms and Application to a Bench-Scale Biofiltration System for VOC Degradation

Abstract

A study was conducted to isolate and characterize monoterpene-degrading microorganisms and apply them to a biofiltration unit for use in degrading high levels of alpha-pinene. Soil from a monoterpene-contaminated site was used with enrichment culture techniques to recover a consortium of bacteria able to utilize alpha-pinene as the sole source of carbon and energy. The Biolog system was utilized to identify the bacteria as Pseudomonas fluorescens and Alcaligenes xylosoxidans. Aerobic growth and biodegradation studies confirmed that rapid growth and biodegradation were being achieved with alpha-pinene. Complete degradation of alpha-pinene was achieved in 36 h with a maximum rate of degradation of 3.9 mg/L/h. The microorganisms were placed in a biofiltration column and demonstrated good removal of alpha-pinene from an air stream at concentrations averaging 295 ppmv. A nitrogen test was performed and confirmed that the removal of alpha-pinene was due to biological activity. Given the ability of these microorganisms to utilize high levels of alpha-pinene, they will be used in a coupled treatment system using a physical/chemical adsorption/desorption unit coupled to a biofiltration column. Often, biofiltration studies are performed using much lower levels of analyte in the influent air stream. However, the ability of these microorganisms to utilize higher levels of compounds expands the capabilities for future coupled biofiltration systems. During future studies, high flow rates with low levels of analyte will be concentrated so that a higher analyte concentration and lower flow rate can be utilized with the biofilter.http://link.springer-ny. com/link/service/journals/00244/bibs/37n2p151.html

Root-emitted volatile organic compounds: can they mediate belowground plant-plant interactions?

“…Given that a volatile compound must be perceived at a physiologically active concentration by a neighbouring plant before it can be considered as a signal mediating plant-plant interactions (Firn and Jones 1995;Preston et al 2001), the environmental fate of root-emitted VOCs in the soil is of crucial importance and will be linked to their chemical stability, their production rate by plant roots, and their interactions with the solid, liquid and gaseous components of the soil ecosystem (Perry et al 2007;Zeng 2014). For instance, they can be diluted in the gaseous phase of the soil matrix, solubilized into the soil solution (particularly polar oxygenated VOCs) (Fischer et al 1994;Hiltpold and Turlings 2008;Peñuelas et al 2014), used as a carbon source by soil microorganisms (Misra et al 1996;Cleveland and Yavitt 1998;Kleinheinz et al 1999;Ramirez et al 2009), adsorbed into soil particle surfaces (Inderjit and Dakshini 1995;Ruiz et al 1998) or subjected to physico-chemical degradation (Perry et al 2007). Taken together, these phenomena lead to a decrease in VOC concentration with increasing distance from the source.…”

The Role of Root-Produced Volatile Secondary Metabolites in Mediating Soil Interactions

“…Since microbe populations are often limited by carbon availability in soil, root volatiles, especially monoterpenes, might be a relevant carbon source and contribute to the belowground carbon cycle (Owen et al 2007;Zak et al 1994). Some organisms such as Pseudomonase fluorescence or Alcaligenes xylosoxidans have been able to develop on root monoterpenes as unique source of carbon (Kleinheinz et al 1999). Simpler root VOCs such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) play an important generic role in plant belowground interactions with other organisms (Johnson and Gregory 2006).…”

Removal of beta-pinene and limonene using compost biofilter

“…The materials used on the bed include wood chips and bark, peat, soil and mixtures, activated carbon, lava rock, and synthetic organic materials. Kleinheinz et al (1999) conducted a study to isolate and characterize monoterpene-degrading microorganisms and apply them to a biofiltration unit for use in degrading high levels of a-pinene. The researchers achieved more than 90% complete degradation of a-pinene in 36 hr with a maximum rate of degradation of 3.9 mg/L/hr at concentrations averaging 295 ppm and with an influent loading of greater than 30 g/m 3 /hr.…”