[Enhancing effect of Tween 80 on degradation of triphenyltin by Bacillus thuringiensis]

So far, the information regarding enhanced degradation and biodegradation mechanisms of TPhT, an endocrine disruptor, is severely limited. Whether dearylation during TPhT degradation occurs successively or synchronously is not revealed clearly. To deal with these problems, this study focused on the biodegradation of TPhT and its metabolites by Bacillus thuringiensis through the acceleration of Tween 80. The results showed that Tween 80 obviously increased the TPhT solubility. After degradation by cells in the presence of 80 mg L-1 Tween 80 for 2 d, the residual TPhT at 1 mg L-1 initially was decreased to 48.4%. During the biodegradation process, Tween 80 significantly reduced intracellular Na+, NH+4: and Mg2+ release, and increased extracellular Cl- , PO(3-)4 and K+ utilization. Metabolites analysis revealed that phenyltin biodegradation initially proceeded by cleaving the aromatic ring, not by splitting the covalent bonds between the benzene rings and tin atom. Ring-cleavage reactions in the benzenes of TPhT occurred individually and synchronously, producing diphenyltin, monophenyltin and tin accordingly.