Biodegradation of phenanthrene and pyrene from mangrove sediment in subtropical Taiwan

This study investigated the effects of various factors on the biodegradation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) phenanthrene and pyrene, and characterized the structure of the microbial community in mangrove sediment from subtropical Taiwan. The degradation of PAH was enhanced by the addition of brij 30, tween 80, yeast extract, hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride or cellulose. However, PAH degradation was inhibited by the addition of humic acid, di-(2-ethylhexyl), phthalate (DEHP) or nonylphenol. Our results also showed that the addition of various substrates changed the microbial community in mangrove sediment. The strains MS2 (Dyella ginsengisoli) and MS4 (Bacillus pumilus) were the constantly dominant bacteria under various treatments in the mangrove sediment.