Effect of adaptation to phenol on biodegradation of monosubstituted phenols by aquatic microbial communities

The adaptation of a mixed aquatic microbial community to phenol was examined in microcosms receiving phenol as a sole carbon source. Extended exposure (adaptation) to phenol resulted in adaptation of the microbial community to the structurally related aromatic compounds m-cresol, m-aminophenol, and p-chlorophenol. The increased biodegradation potential of the phenol-adapted microbial community was accompanied by a concurrent increase in the number of microorganisms able to degrade the three test compounds. Thus, adaptation to the three test chemicals was likely a growth-related result of extended exposure to phenol. The results indicate that adaptation to a single chemical may increase the assimilative capacity of an aquatic environment for other related chemicals even in the absence of adaptation-inducing levels of those materials.