Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
Aerobic biodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by Bacillus cereus isolated from contaminated soil
H Aysun Mercimek1, Sadık Dincer, Gulcihan Guzeldag
1The Faculty of Sciences and Letters, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Kilis 7 Aralık University, 79000, Kilis, Turkey, mersimek@hotmail.com.
Abstract:
In this study, biological degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) which is very highly toxic environmentally and an explosive in nitroaromatic character was researched in minimal medium by Bacillus cereus isolated from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) TNT-contaminated soils. In contrast to most previous studies, the capability of this bacteria to transform in liquid medium containing TNT was investigated. During degradation, treatment of TNT was followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and achievement of degradation was calculated as percentage. At an initial concentration of 50 and 75 mg L(-1), TNT was degraded respectively 68 % and 77 % in 96 h. It transformed into 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 4-aminodinitrotoluene derivates, which could be detected as intermediate metabolites by using thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Release of nitrite and nitrate ions were searched by spectrophotometric analyses. Depending upon Meisenheimer complex, while nitrite production was observed, nitrate was detected in none of the cultures. Results of our study propose which environmental pollutant can be removed by using microorganisms that are indigenous to the contaminated site.
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Bioremediation
Production of Biopesticides
Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics
Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium

