Initial reductive reactions in aerobic microbial metabolism of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.

Biodegradation of nitroaromatic compounds.

Nitroaromatic compounds are released into the biosphere almost exclusively from anthropogenic sources. Some compounds are produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels; others are used as synthetic intermediates, dyes, pesticides, and explosives. Recent research revealed a number of microbial systems capable of transforming or biodegrading nitroaromatic compounds. Anaerobic bacteria can red...

Identification of a hydride-Meisenheimer complex as a metabolite of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by a Mycobacterium strain.

A bacterial strain, Mycobacterium sp. strain HL 4-NT-1, enriched with 4-nitrotoluene as its sole source of nitrogen, was able to metabolize 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene under aerobic conditions. The dark red-brown metabolite, which accumulated in the culture fluid, was identified as a hydride-Meisenheimer complex by comparison with an authentic synthetic sample.

Solid-state nitrogen-15 nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of biologically reduced 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in a soil slurry remediation.

Soil contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and spiked with [14C]- and [15N3]-TNT was subjected to an anaerobic-aerobic soil slurry treatment and subsequently analyzed by radiocounting and solid-state 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This treatment led to a complete disappearance of extractable radioactivity originating from TNT and almost all of the radioactivity was r...

Screening Effective Factors in Slurry Phase Bioremediation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) Contaminated Soil

Aerobic degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by Enterobacter cloacae PB2 and by pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase.

Enterobacter cloacae PB2 was originally isolated on the basis of its ability to utilize nitrate esters, such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and glycerol trinitrate, as the sole nitrogen source for growth. The enzyme responsible is an NADPH-dependent reductase designated PETN reductase. E. cloacae PB2 was found to be capable of slow aerobic growth with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) as the ...