Biofilms of Halobacterium salinarum as a tool for phenanthrene bioremediation |
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Authors: | Leonardo Gabriel Di Meglio César Nicolas Pegoraro |
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Institution: | 1. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (CONICET-UNMdP), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina;2. Laboratorio de Bioelectroquímica, INTEMA (CONICET-UNMdP), Mar del Plata, Argentina |
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Abstract: | AbstractThe use of hyperhalophilic microorganisms is emerging as a sustainable alternative to clean hydrocarbon-polluted hypersaline water bodies. In line with this practice, this work reports on the ability of the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum to develop biofilms on a solid surface conditioned by the presence of phenanthrene crystals, which results in the removal of the contaminating compound. The cell surface hydrophobicity does not change during the removal process and this organism is shown to constitutively produce a surfactant molecule with specific action on aromatic hydrocarbons, both indicating that phenanthrene removal might proceed through a non-contact mechanism. A new approach is presented to follow the process in situ through epifluorescence microscopy by monitoring phenanthrene auto-fluorescence. |
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Keywords: | Halophilic Archaea PAHs removal bio-surfactantl fluorescence microscopy |
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