FACTORS AFFECTING PCB DEGRADATION BY AN IMPLANTED BACTERIAL STRAIN IN SOIL MICROCOSMS

Pseudomonas testosteroni B-356 was able to degrade approximately 50% of the Aroclor 1242 mixture in shaken culture. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the capabilities of this bacterial strain to degrade PCBs in soil microcosms and to identify some of the factors likely to favor the degradative performance of the implanted bacteria. The presence of biphenyl as cosubstrate was the most important factor affecting PCB degradation in soil. However, because biphenyl was rapidly depleted in soil microcosms, repeated addition of small amounts of biphenyl to maintain a constant level of the cosubstrate allowed the achievement of a higher degree of degradation of the tetrachlorinated components of Aroclor 1242 than was achieved with a single addition at the time of inoculation. Degradation of di- and tri-chlorinated PCB congeners was less affected by repeated addition of biphenyl because these congeners were degraded very fast and complete degradation was achieved before biphenyl was depleted in the soil. Biodegradation was also related to bioavailability of the substrate. We observed that the proportion of each congener degraded was higher in the microcosms receiving both the producer of the surface-active agent, Alcaligenes faecalis B-556, and strain B-356. Under the best conditions (presence of a constant level of biphenyl and of strain B-556) P. testosteroni B-356 was able to degrade approximately 30% of the Aroclor 1242 added to soil microcosms; some other factors reducing the PCB degradation capabilities of the implanted bacteria are also discussed.