Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Degradation of paracetamol by pure bacterial cultures and their microbial consortium

  • Environmental biotechnology
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three bacterial strains utilizing paracetamol as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source were isolated from a paracetamol-degrading aerobic aggregate, and assigned to species of the genera Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas. The Stenotrophomonas species have not included any known paracetamol degraders until now. In batch cultures, the organisms f1, f2, and fg-2 could perform complete degradation of paracetamol at concentrations of 400, 2,500, and 2,000 mg/L or below, respectively. A combination of three microbial strains resulted in significantly improved degradation and mineralization of paracetamol. The co-culture was able to use paracetamol up to concentrations of 4,000 mg/L, and mineralized 87.1 % of the added paracetamol at the initial of 2,000 mg/L. Two key metabolites of the biodegradation pathway of paracetamol, 4-aminophenol, and hydroquinone were detected. Paracetamol was degraded predominantly via 4-aminophenol to hydroquinone with subsequent ring fission, suggesting new pathways for paracetamol-degrading bacteria. The degradation of paracetamol could thus be performed by the single isolates, but is stimulated by a synergistic interaction of the three-member consortium, suggesting a possible complementary interaction among the various isolates. The exact roles of each of the strains in the consortium need to be further elucidated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andreozzi R, Caprio V, Marotta R, Vogna D (2003) Paracetamol oxidation from aqueous solutions by means of ozonation and H2O2/UV system. Water Res 37(5):993–1004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benotti MJ, Trenholm RA, Vanderford BJ, Holady JC, Stanford BD, Snyder SA (2009) Pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds in U.S. drinking water. Environ Sci Technol 43:597–603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brillas E, Sirés I, Arias C, Cabot PL, Centellas F, Rodríguez RM, Garrido JA (2005) Mineralization of paracetamol in aqueous medium by anodic oxidation with a boron-doped diamond electrode. Chemosphere 58(4):399–406

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brillas E, Sirés I, Oturan MA (2009) Electro-Fenton process and related electrochemical technologies based on Fenton’s reaction chemistry. Chem Rev 109:6570–6631

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cámara B, Nikodem P, Bielecki P, Bobadilla R, Junca H, Pieper DH (2009) Characterization of a gene cluster involved in 4-chlorocatechol degradation by Pseudomonas reinekei MT1. J Bacteriol 191(15):4905–4915

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho MF, Alves CCT, Ferreira MIM, De Marco P, Castro PML (2002) Isolation and initial characterization of a bacterial consortium able to mineralize fluorobenzene. Appl Environ Microbiol 68(1):102–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen CY, Chen SC, Fingas M, Kao CM (2010) Biodegradation of propionitrile by Klebsiella oxytoca immobilized in alginate and cellulose triacetate gel. J Hazard Mat 177:856–863

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Escher BI, Baumgartner R, Koller M, Treyer K, Lienert J, McArdell CS (2011) Environmental toxicology and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals from hospital wastewater. Water Res 45:75–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gusseme BD, Vanhaecke L, Verstraete W, Boon N (2011) Degradation of acetaminophen by Deftia tsuruhatensis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a membrane bioreactor. Water Res 45:1829–1837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasan SA, Ferreira MIM, Koetsier MJ, Arif MI, Janssen DB (2011) Complete biodegradation of 4-fluorocinnamic acid by a consortium comprising Arithrobacter sp. strain G1 and Ralstonia sp. strain H1. Appl Environ Microbiol 77(2):572–579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu J, Zhou L, Zhou QW, Wei F, Zhang LL, Chen JM (2012) Biodegradation of paracetamol by aerobic granules in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Adv Mater Res 441:531–535

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huber MM, Göbel A, Joss A, Hermann N, Löffler D, Mcardell CS, Ried A, Siegrist H, Ternes TA, Gunten UV (2005) Oxidation of pharmaceuticals during ozonation of municipal wastewater effluents: a pilot study. Environ Sci Technol 39:4290–4299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes MA, Baggs MJ, Al-Dulayymi J, Baird MS, Williams PA (2002) Accumulation of 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one-7-carboxylate during growth of Pseudomonas putida TW3 on 4-nitro-substituted substrates requires 4-hydroxylaminobenzoate lyase (PnbB). Appl Environ Microbiol 68:4965–4970

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang HL, Tay JH, Maszena AM, Tay STL (2006) Enhanced phenol biodegradation and aerobic granulation by two coaggregating bacterial strains. Environ Sci Technol 40:6137–6142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi T, Iyenga L, Singh K, Garg S (2008) Isolation, identification and application of novel bacterial consortium TJ-1 for the decolourization of structurally different azo dyes. Bioresour Technol 99:7115–7121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YM, Ahn CK, Woo SH, Jung GY, Park JM (2009) Synergic degradation of phenanthrene by consortia of newly isolated bacterial strains. J Biotechnol 144:293–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kolpin DW, Furlong ET, Meyer MT, Thurman EM, Zaugg SD, Barben LB, Buxton HT (2002) Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999–2000: a national reconnaissance. Environ Sci Technol 36(6):1202–1211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langford KH, Thomas KV (2009) Determination of pharmaceutical compounds in hospital effluents and their contribution to wastewater treatment works. Environ Int 25:766–770

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li TG, Liu JX, Bai RB, Ohandja DG, Wong F-S (2007) Biodegradation of organonitriles by adapted activated sludge consortium with acetonitrile-degrading microorganisms. Water Res 41:3465–3473

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murakami S, Aoki K, Takenake S, Okugawa S, Kadowaki M (2003) The metabolic pathway of 4-aminophenol in Burkholderia sp. strain AK-5 differs from that of aniline and aniline with C-4 substituents. Appl Environ Microbiol 69(9):5410–5412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neumann G, Teras R, Monson L, Kivisaar M, Schauer F, Heipieper HJ (2004) Simultaneous degradation of atrazine and phenol by Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP: effect of toxicity and adaptation. Appl Environ Microbiol 70(4):1907–1912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Philips PJ, Smith SG, Koplin DW, Zaugg SD, Buxton HT, Furlong ET, Esposito K, Stinson B (2010) Pharmaceutical formulation facilities as sources of opioids and other pharmaceuticals to wastewater treatment plant effluents. Environ Sci Technol 44:4910–4916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robert PH, Thomas KV (2006) The occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluent and surface waters of the lower Tyne catchment. Sci Total Environ 356(1–3):143–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosal R, Rodríguez Perdigón-Melón JA, Mezcua M, Hernando MD, Letón P, García-Calvo E, Agüera A, Fernández-Alba AR (2008) Removal of pharmaceuticals and kinetics of mineralization by O3/H2O2 in a biotreated municipal wastewater. Water Res 42:3719–3728

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shariati FP, Mehrnia MR, Salmasi BM, Heran M, Wisniewski C, Sarrafzadeh MH (2010) Membrane bioreactor for treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing acetaminophen. Desalination 250:798–800

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skoumal M, Cabot P-L, Centellas F, Arias C, Rodríguez RM, Garrido JA, Brillas E (2006) Mineralization of paracetamol by ozonation catalyzed with Fe2+, C 2+U and UVA light. Appl Catal B: Environ 66:228–240

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen SR, Albers CN, Aamand J (2008) Rapid mineralization of the phenylurea herbicide diuron by Variovorax sp. strain SRS 16 in pure culture and within a two-member consortium. Appl Environ Microbiol 74(8):2332–2340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA (1998) Occurrence of drugs in German sewage treatment plants and rivers. Water Res 32(11):3245–3260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang LM, Yu LE, Ray MB (2008) Degradation of paracetamol in aqueous solutions by TiO2 photocatalysis. Water Res 42:2480–2488

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang LM, Yu LE, Ray MB (2009) Photocatalytic oxidation of paracetamol: dominant reactants, intermediates, and reaction mechanisms. Environ Sci Technol 43:460–465

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 50908210 and 21177116) and the Important Provincial Science & Technology Specific Project (no. 2011C13023) from Zhejiang Province, China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, No.6 District, Zhaohui, Hangzhou, 310032, China

    Lili Zhang, Jun Hu, Runye Zhu, Qingwei Zhou & Jianmeng Chen

  2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Lili Zhang

Authors
  1. Lili Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jun Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Runye Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qingwei Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jianmeng Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jianmeng Chen.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 264 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, L., Hu, J., Zhu, R. et al. Degradation of paracetamol by pure bacterial cultures and their microbial consortium. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 3687–3698 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4170-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4170-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation