Question: Which of the following bacteria showed toluene-degrading abilities?
(a)Bacillus
(b)Gonococcus
(c)Acinetobacter Junii
(d)None of the Above
Answer :(c)
Related facts:
About the bacteria:
- Acinetobacter Juniiis a species of bacteria, it can be pathogenic. Its type strain is ATCC 17908.This bacterium has been linked to nosocomial (in hospital) infections including catheter-related blood stream infections and cellulitis.
- The bacteria Acinetobacter Junii (A. Junii) were isolated from the soil samples and studied for their toluene-degrading abilities.
- About 80% of toluene (50ppm) in a liquid medium was degraded within 72 hours.
- These bacteria changed the morphology of toluene to escape toxicity.
- The bacteria were able to degrade these petrochemical wastes in the laboratory in both soil and water samples.
- Researchers also tested the bacterial strain for the degradation of benzene, phenol, and xylene and they showed effective results towards degradation of these compounds.
- The bacteria use up this toluene as their carbon source in the presence of oxygen.
What is Toluene?
- Toluene is a petrochemical waste that gets released without treatment from industries such as refineries, paint, textile, rubber and paper etc.
- It has been reported for serious health problems to aquatic life, and studies show that it has genotoxic and carcinogenic effects on human beings.
Why in News?
- Researchers from the University of Delhi and IIT-BHU have successfully degraded toluene into less toxic by-products using the bacteria.
Anurag Kumar
Links:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/bacteria-to-degrade-toluene/article25272923.ece