Enrichment, isolation, and phylogenetic identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from Elizabeth River sediments.

The diversity of indigenous bacteria in sediments from several sites in the Elizabeth River (Virginia) able to degrade multiple polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated by the use of classical selective enrichment and molecular analyses. Enrichment cultures containing naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, or pyrene as a sole carbon and energy source were monitored by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to detect changes in the bacterial-community profile during enrichment and to determine whether the representative strains present were successfully cultured. The DGGE profiles of the final enrichments grown solely on naphthalene and pyrene showed no clear relationship with the site from which the inoculum was obtained.

High power density from a miniature microbial fuel cell using Shewanella oneidensis DSP10.

A miniature microbial fuel cell (mini-MFC) is described that demonstrates high output power per device cross-section (2.0 cm2) and volume (1.2 cm3).

The concentrations of hexadecane and inorganic nutrients modulate the production of extracellular membrane-bound vesicles, soluble protein, and bioemulsifier by Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1 and Acinetobacter sp. strain HO1-N.

In the present study, we addressed the possibility that the production of both bioemulsifiers and membrane-bound vesicles may be a common feature of the growth of Acinetobacter spp. on alkanes, and we determined the extent to which the release of extracellular products by these organisms is regulated by the concentrations of the alkane substrate and inorganic nutrients. To accomplish this objective, we grew Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1 and Acinetobacter sp.