For sustainability, many persistent organic pollutants (POPs) should be degraded such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). A pure strain of Rhodopseudomonas palustris, isolated from rice paddy soil, showed high HBCD degradation capability. The degradation of HBCD in R. palustris cells followed the first-order kinetics model under a higher temperature incubation condition compared to room temperature. After 8 days of biodegradation, the remaining HBCD was less than 10% of the original concentration of 1 ppm. However, the concentration of bromide ions were less than the expected complete HBCD debromination value, indicating the accumulation of HBCD intermediates with fewer bromines. In addition, the HBCD degradation efficiency was strain specific, by which strain that was able to catabolize HBCD and to remain as active under carbon source restricted incubation condition. Finally, proteins expressed during HBCD degradation were analyzed and their involvements in biodegradation of HBCD were proposed. This biodegradation process can integrate into any environmental friendly treatments to remove POPs.

Biodegradation of hexabromocyclododecane by Rhodopseudomonas palustris sp

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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