Microbial transformation of widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds.

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly used chemicals that are increasingly detected in urban-impacted environments, particularly those receiving treated wastewater. PPCPs may have toxicological effects on the macrofauna that are exposed through contaminated water; thus, there is interest in microbially mediated transformations that may degrade PPCPs. This review discusses specific examples of PPCP transformations that may occur in anoxic environments, including O-methylation and O-demethylation.

Sulfate-Reducing Naphthalene Degraders Are Picky Eaters.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common organic contaminants found in anoxic environments. The capacity for PAH biodegradation in unimpacted environments, however, has been understudied. Here we investigate the enrichment, selection, and sustainability of a microbial community from a pristine environment on naphthalene as the only amended carbon source.

The antihistamine diphenhydramine is demethylated by anaerobic wastewater microorganisms.

While emerging pharmaceutical contaminants are monitored in wastewater treatment and the environment, there is little information concerning their microbial metabolites. The transformation of diphenhydramine by microorganisms in anaerobic digester sludge was investigated using anaerobic cultures amended with 1 mM diphenhydramine as the sole carbon source. Complete transformation of the parent compound to a persistent metabolite occurred within 191 days.

Naproxen Is Transformed Via Acetogenesis and Syntrophic Acetate Oxidation by a Methanogenic Wastewater Consortium.

Over-the-counter pharmaceutical compounds can serve as microbial substrates in wastewater treatment processes as well as in the environment. The metabolic pathways and intermediates produced during their degradation, however, are poorly understood. In this study, we investigate an anaerobic wastewater community that metabolizes naproxen via demethylation.

Selenate reductase activity in Escherichia coli requires Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes.

The selenate reductase in Escherichia coli is a multi-subunit enzyme predicted to bind Fe-S clusters. In this study, we examined the iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis genes that are required for selenate reductase activity. Mutants devoid of either the iscU or hscB gene in the Isc iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis pathway lost the ability to reduce selenate.

Benzoyl-CoA, a universal biomarker for anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds.

Aromatic compounds are a major component of the global carbon pool and include a diverse range of compounds such as humic acid, lignin, amino acids, and industrial contaminants. Due to the prevalence of aromatic compounds in the environment, aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms have evolved mechanisms by which to metabolize that available carbon. Less well understood are the anaerobic pathways.

The bamA gene for anaerobic ring fission is widely distributed in the environment.

Benzoyl-CoA is the signature central metabolite associated with the anaerobic metabolism of a diverse range of compounds such as humic acid, lignin, amino acids, and industrial chemicals. Aromatic chemicals with different upstream degradation pathways all funnel into the downstream benzoyl-CoA pathway. Different genes encoding enzymes of the benzoyl-CoA pathway could be used as biomarkers for the anaerobic benzoyl-CoA pathway, however, the ring opening hydrolase, encoded by the bamA gene, is ideal because it is detected under a range of respiratory conditions, including under denitrifying, iron-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and fermentative conditions.

Biodegradation of pharmaceutical and personal care products.

Medical treatments and personal hygiene lead to the steady release of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) into the environment. Some of these PPCPs have been shown to have detrimental environmental effects and could potentially impact human health. Understanding the biological transformation of PPCPs is essential for accurately determining their ultimate environmental fate, conducting accurate risk assessments, and improving PPCP removal.