Towards engineering degradation of the explosive pollutant hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine in the rhizosphere

Lorenz, A; Rylott, EL; Strand, SE; Bruce, NC

HERO ID

1506893

Reference Type

Journal Article

Subtype

Letter

Year

2013

Language

English

PMID

23289483

HERO ID 1506893
Material Type Letter
In Press No
Year 2013
Title Towards engineering degradation of the explosive pollutant hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine in the rhizosphere
Authors Lorenz, A; Rylott, EL; Strand, SE; Bruce, NC
Journal FEMS Microbiology Letters
Volume 340
Issue 1
Page Numbers 49-54
Abstract Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is a serious environmental pollutant on military land. This compound is the most widely used explosive and pollution has arisen primarily as the result of military training, along with munition manufacturing and disassembly processes. This toxic explosive is recalcitrant to degradation in the environment and leaches rapidly into groundwater, where accumulation in aquifers is threatening drinking water supplies (Clausen, et al., 2004). While plants have only limited degradative activity towards RDX, microorganisms, including Rhodococcus rhodochrous 11Y, have been isolated from contaminated land. Despite the presence of microbial RDX-metabolising activity in contaminated soils, the persistence of RDX in leachate from contaminated soil indicates that this activity or biomass is insufficient, limiting its use to remediate polluted soils. Bacterial activity in the rhizosphere is of magnitudes greater than in the surrounding soil, and the roots of grass species on training ranges in the United States are known to penetrate deeply into the soil, producing a compact root system and providing an ideal environment to support the capture of RDX by microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Here, we have investigated the ability of the root-colonising bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens, engineered to express XplA, to degrade RDX in the rhizosphere.
Doi 10.1111/1574-6968.12072
Pmid 23289483
Wosid WOS:000314656900007
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English