Mediators-assisted reductive biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol-A by Shewanella sp. XB

The anaerobic biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was mainly observed in the consortia so far. The role of redox mediators in anaerobic TBBPA biotransformation by Shewanella sp. distributed widely in environments was investigated for the first time. The results showed the flavins secretion of Shewanella sp. XB was highly dependent on initial TBBPA concentration. The corresponding first-order rate constants (k) of TBBPA transformation decreased to 0.007 d−1 when TBBPA concentration increased up to 80 mg/L. Moreover, the removal rate of TBBPA (80 mg/L) was significantly enhanced in treatments amended with cyanocobalamin, riboflavin, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and Aldrich humic acid with k values of 0.42, 0.19, 0.16, and 0.07 d−1, respectively. In addition, some redox proteins were secreted and played a role in flavins-mediated extracellular biotransformation of TBBPA by Shewanella sp. XB. These findings are beneficial to better understand TBBPA fate in natural environments and to develop efficient biotreatment strategies of TBBPA pollutions.