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Biodegradation of an endocrine-disrupting chemical, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, by Bacillus subtilis No. 66

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
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Abstract

A bacterial strain capable of rapidly degrading di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was isolated from soil and identified as Bacillus subtilis. The organism also utilized di-butyl phthalate, di-ethyl phthalate, di-pentyl phthalate, di-propyl phthalate, and phthalic acid as sole carbon sources; and their biodegradation ratio was over 99%, when the incubation was performed for 5 days at 30°C. The microorganism degraded di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and di-butyl phthalate through the intermediate formation of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and mono-butyl phthalate, which were then metabolized to phthalic acid and further by a protocatechuate pathway, as evidenced by oxygen uptake studies and GC-MS analysis. The decontamination of soil polluted with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate by B. subtilis was investigated. Experimental results showed that the strain could degrade about 80% of 5 mM DEHP simply by adding 8% culture medium to soil, indicating that the degradation can occur even when other organisms are present.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bio-Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, Economical and Technological Development Zone, Dalian, 116600, China

    C. S. Quan, Q. Liu, W. J. Tian & S. D. Fan

  2. Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan

    J. Kikuchi & S. D. Fan

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  1. C. S. Quan
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  2. Q. Liu
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  3. W. J. Tian
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  4. J. Kikuchi
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  5. S. D. Fan
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Correspondence to S. D. Fan.

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Quan, C.S., Liu, Q., Tian, W.J. et al. Biodegradation of an endocrine-disrupting chemical, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, by Bacillus subtilis No. 66. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 66, 702–710 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1683-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1683-6

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