P. Cuny et al., Enhanced biodegradation of phenanthrene by a marine bacterium in presence of a synthetic surfactant, LETT APPL M, 29(4), 1999, pp. 242-245
The biodegradation of phenanthrene by the marine strain Sphingomonas sp. 2M
PII (DSMZ 11572) was enhanced by the solubilizating properties of the nonio
nic surfactant Tween 80. After 197 h of incubation, 85 +/- 4% of the initia
l amount of phenanthrene (0.4 g l(-1)) was biodegraded in presence of Tween
80 (0.5 g l(-1)) as opposed to 52 +/- 5% without this synthetic surfactant
. These results confirm that the activity of the strain 2MPII is limited by
the bioavailability of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) substrate
in the aqueous phase. Tween 80 appears to be efficient in increasing the b
ioavailability of hydrophobic compounds such as PAHs.