Biodegradation of cyromazine by melamine-degrading bacteria

Biodegradation of cyromazine was investigated in liquid cultures using three melamine-degrading bacteria Arthrobacter sp. MCO, Arthrobacter sp. CSP and Nocardioides sp. ATD6. Experiments were performed aerobically in a mineral medium with glucose as a carbon source and cyromazine as the sole nitrogen source. All three strains of bacteria degraded cyromazine. Cyromazine at 23 mg/L completely disappeared by Arthrobacter sp. MCO within 7 days. The bacterial density of all three strains increased with degradation of the cyromazine. The cyromazine metabolite N-cyclopropylammeline was detected and identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). This is the first report on the use of Arthrobacter sp. and Nocardioides sp. for cyromazine degradation and the occurrence of bacterial growth with cyromazine degradation.