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Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Isolation, Propagation, and Identification of Bacterial Species with Hydrocarbon Metabolizing Properties from Aquatic Habitats
Published on: December 7, 2021
Molecular characterization of methanogenic microbial communities for degrading various types of polycyclic aromatic
Quanhui Ye1, Chengyue Liang2, Xunwen Chen3
1State Key Joint Laboratory on Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Abstract:
Knowledge on methanogenic microbial communities associated with the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is crucial to developing strategies for PAHs bioremediation. In this study, the linkage between the type of PAHs and microbial community structure was fully investigated through 16S rRNA gene sequencing on four PAH-degrading cultures. Putative degradation products were also detected. Our results indicated that naphthalene (Nap)/2-methylnaphthalene (2-Nap), phenanthrene (Phe) and anthracene (Ant) sculpted different microbial communities. Among them, Nap and 2-Nap selected for similar degrading bacteria (i.e., Alicycliphilus and Thauera) and methanogens (Methanomethylovorans and Methanobacterium). Nap and 2-Nap were probably activated via carboxylation, producing 2-naphthoic acid. In contrast, Phe and Ant shaped different bacterial and archaeal communities, with Arcobacter and Acinetobacter being Phe-degraders and Thiobacillus Ant-degrader. Methanogenic archaea Methanobacterium and Methanomethylovorans predominated Phe-degrading and Ant-degrading culture, respectively. These findings can improve our understanding of natural PAHs attenuation and provide some guidance for PAHs bioremediation in methanogenic environment.
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