Effects of pyrene and fluoranthene on the degradation characteristics of phenanthrene in the cometabolism process by Sphingomonas sp. strain PheB4 isolated from mangrove sediments

Cometabolism has been suggested as an attractive approach to enhance the degradation rates of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, the effects of these recalcitrant PAHs on the degradation characteristics of low-molecular-weight PAHs are largely unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pyrene (PYR) and fluoranthene (FLA) on the degradation characteristics of phenanthrene (PHE) in the cometabolism process by Sphingomonas sp. strain PheB4 isolated from mangrove sediments. Based on the kinetics and characteristics of PHE metabolites, it was proposed that the transformation of hydroxylated PHE into 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid was a rate-limiting step in the degradation of PHE by strain PheB4. Compared to a single addition of PYR or FLA, the presence of a mixture of PYR and FLA decreased the degradation rate of PHE to a larger extent, which was likely because it could inhibit the production of 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid more effectively.