Dynamic Changes in Aromatic Hydrocarbon Associated Catabolic Gene Profiles Linked to Aerobic and Anaerobic Microcosm Studies

Abstract

The biodegradation of BTEX pollutants is often facilitated by both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the environment. Developing strategies to enable a rapid characterisation of related microbial populations is of importance to many industries, including the petrochemical industry. Here we use a qPCR assay to show that dynamic changes in key catabolic genes, from aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria involved in the breakdown of benzoate and toluene through microcosm studies, can be linked to the aerobic or anaerobic nature of these microcosms. This approach may prove useful in further studies of the biodegradation of pollutants by eubacteria in situ.