Environmental pollution promotes selection of microbial degradation pathways

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_BCEF0A861551
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Review (review): journal as complete as possible of one specific subject, written based on exhaustive analyses from published work.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Environmental pollution promotes selection of microbial degradation pathways
Journal
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Author(s)
van der Meer J. R.
ISSN
1540-9295
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2006
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
4
Number
1
Pages
35-42
Language
english
Notes
http://www.jstor.org/stable/info/3868761
Abstract
Astonishing as it may seem, one organism's waste is often ideal food for another. Many waste products generated by human activities are routinely degraded by microorganisms under controlled conditions during waste-water treatment. Toxic pollutants resulting from inadvertent releases, such as oil spills, are also consumed by bacteria, the simplest organisms on Earth. Biodegradation of toxic or particularly persistent compounds, however, remains problematic. What has escaped the attention of many is that bacteria exposed to pollutants can adapt to them by mutating or acquiring degradative genes. These bacteria can proliferate in the environment as a result of the selection pressures created by pollutants. The positive outcome of selection pressure is that harmful compounds may eventually be broken down completely through biodegradation. The downside is that biodegradation may require extremely long periods of time. Although the adaptation process has been shown to be reproducible, it remains very difficult to predict.
Web of science
Create date
21/01/2008 13:35
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:31
Usage data