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1,4-Dioxane degradation characteristics of Rhodococcus aetherivorans JCM 14343

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Abstract

Rhodococcus aetherivorans JCM 14343 can degrade 1,4-dioxane as a sole carbon and energy source. This study aimed to characterize this 1,4-dioxane degradation ability further, and assess the potential use of the strain for 1,4-dioxane removal in industrial wastewater. Strain JCM 14343 was able to degrade 1,4-dioxane inducibly, and its 1,4-dioxane degradation was also induced by tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-butanediol. The demonstration that 1,4-butanediol not only induced but also enhanced 1,4-dioxane degradation was a novel finding of this study. Although strain JCM 14343 appeared not to be an effective 1,4-dioxane degrader considering the maximum specific 1,4-dioxane degradation rate (0.0073 mg-dioxane/mg-protein/h), half saturation concentration (59.2 mg/L), and cell yield (0.031 mg-protein/mg-1,4-dioxane), the strain could degrade over 1100 mg/L of 1,4-dioxane and maintain its degradation activity at a wide range of temperature (5–40 °C) and pH (4–9) conditions. This suggests the usefulness of strain JCM 14343 in 1,4-dioxane treatment under acidic and cold conditions. In addition, 1,4-dioxane degradation experiments in the presence of ethylene glycol (EG) or other cyclic ethers revealed that 1,4-dioxane degradation by strain JCM 14343 was inhibited in the presence of other cyclic ethers, but not by EG, suggesting certain applicability of strain JCM 14343 for industrial wastewater treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Adaptable and Seamless Technology Transfer Program through Target-driven R&D (A-STEP) (Grant Number AS2715159U) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and by the Kurita Water and Environment Foundation (Grant Number 16K024).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Daisuke Inoue, Norifumi Yamamoto & Michihiko Ike

  2. Environment and Medical Sciences Course, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara-Minami, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan

    Tsubasa Tsunoda & Kazunari Sei

  3. Technology Center, Taisei Corporation, 344-1 Nase-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 245-0051, Japan

    Norifumi Yamamoto

  4. Department of Health Science, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara-Minami, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan

    Kazunari Sei

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  1. Daisuke Inoue
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  2. Tsubasa Tsunoda
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  4. Michihiko Ike
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Correspondence to Daisuke Inoue.

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Inoue, D., Tsunoda, T., Yamamoto, N. et al. 1,4-Dioxane degradation characteristics of Rhodococcus aetherivorans JCM 14343. Biodegradation 29, 301–310 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-018-9832-2

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