Biodegradation of Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-Triazine and Its Mononitroso Derivative Hexahydro-1-Nitroso-3,5-Dinitro-1,3,5-Triazine by Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain SCZ-1 Isolated from an Anaerobic Sludge

Abstract

ABSTRACT In previous work, we found that an anaerobic sludge efficiently degraded hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), but the role of isolates in the degradation process was unknown. Recently, we isolated a facultatively anaerobic bacterium, identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae strain SCZ-1, using MIDI and the 16S rRNA method from this sludge and employed it to degrade RDX. Strain SCZ-1 degraded RDX to formaldehyde (HCHO), methanol (CH 3 OH) (12% of total C), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) (72% of total C), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) (60% of total N) through intermediary formation of methylenedinitramine (O 2 NNHCH 2 NHNO 2 ). Likewise, hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) was degraded to HCHO, CH 3 OH, and N 2 O (16.5%) with a removal rate (0.39 μmol · h −1  · g [dry weight] of cells −1 ) similar to that of RDX (0.41 μmol · h −1  · g [dry weight] of cells −1 ) (biomass, 0.91 g [dry weight] of cells · liter −1 ). These findings suggested the possible involvement of a common initial reaction, possibly denitration, followed by ring cleavage and decomposition in water. The trace amounts of MNX detected during RDX degradation and the trace amounts of hexahydro-1,3-dinitroso-5-nitro-1,3,5-triazine detected during MNX degradation suggested that another minor degradation pathway was also present that reduced —NO 2 groups to the corresponding —NO groups.