Biodegradation of pentachloronitrobenzene by Cupriavidus sp. YNS-85 and its potential for remediation of contaminated soils

Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) is a toxic chlorinated nitroaromatic compound. However, only a few bacteria have been reported to be able to utilize PCNB. In the present study, one pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB)-degrading bacterium, Cupriavidus sp. YNS-85, was isolated from a contaminated Panax notoginseng plantation. The strain co-metabolized 200 mg L−1 PCNB in aqueous solution with a removal rate of 73.8% after 5 days. The bacterium also degraded PCNB effectively under acid conditions (pH 4–6) and showed resistance to toxic trace elements (arsenic, copper, and cadmium). Its ability to utilize proposed PCNB intermediates as sole carbon sources was also confirmed. The soil microcosm experiment further demonstrated that bacterial bioaugmentation enhanced the removal of PCNB (37.8%) from soil and the accumulation of pentachloroaniline (89.3%) after 30 days. Soil enzyme activity and microbial community functional diversity were positively influenced after bioremediation. These findings indicate that Cupriavidus sp. YNS-85 may be a suitable inoculant for in situ bioremediation of PCNB-polluted sites, especially those with acid soils co-contaminated with heavy metal(loid)s.