Response of microbial community in the soil of halophyte after contamination with tetrabromobisphenol A

Abstract

Coastal wetlands are subjected to increasing tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) pollution, whereas knowledge on TBBPA degradation in marine environments is lacking. The changes of bacterial communities in TBBPA-polluted soil covered with halophytes were investigated. TBBPA could be degraded in the halophyte covered saline-alkali soil in microcosm experiment. Higher TBBPA removal occurred in the soil of Kandelia obovata compared with soils covered with Suaeda australis and Phragmites australis within 56 days of cultivation. The rhizosphere soils of S. australis, P. australis, and K. obovata mainly involved the classes of Bacteroidia, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Anaerolineae. Additionally, manganese oxidation, aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, and fermentation funcitions were higher in the rhizosphere soil of K. obovata after TBBPA addition. This study indicated that the vegetation type is a vital factor influencing the biodegradation mechanism of TBBPA and other related organic pollutants in salt marsh ecosystem.