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Land Contamination and Remediation

Micro-organisms that degrade named pollutants

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 1

Overview

Pseudomonas putida and aromatic solvents, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and biosurfactants for oil, Dehalococcoides ethenogenes and chlorinated solvents in groundwater, microbes for pesticides and PCBs, and treating mixed contamination.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Which pollutants does Pseudomonas putida treat?

Key term

How does Pseudomonas putida break down aromatic solvents?

Key term

Why is Pseudomonas putida well suited to bioremediation?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Which pollutants does Pseudomonas putida treat?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas putida degrades organic solvents such as toluene, xylene and styrene. The bacterium tolerates solvent concentrations that kill most other microbes.

  2. 2

    How does Pseudomonas putida break down aromatic solvents?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas putida carries enzymes that oxidise the aromatic rings of solvents such as toluene. Some strains carry these genes on a plasmid, such as the TOL plasmid.

  3. 3

    Why is Pseudomonas putida well suited to bioremediation?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas putida grows quickly on many carbon sources and is not a significant human pathogen. The species survives well in soil.

  4. 4

    Which pollutant does Pseudomonas aeruginosa treat?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa degrades oil, including crude oil and diesel. The bacterium uses the hydrocarbons as its source of carbon and energy.

  5. 5

    How do biosurfactants help Pseudomonas aeruginosa degrade oil?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces rhamnolipid biosurfactants that emulsify oil into tiny droplets. The larger surface area lets the bacteria attack the hydrocarbons faster.

  6. 6

    What is a drawback of using Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bioremediation?

    Model answer

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that can infect wounds and people with weak immunity. Release of the bacterium on a site must be carefully controlled.

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