Study on microorganisms contaminating particulate matter (PM10) involved in gaseous methyl tert-butyl ether degradation Free

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a major toxic pollutant that contaminates inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀). It is an anti-knocking reagent that is generated from incomplete combustion of gasoline. Microorganisms contaminating PM₁₀ from city areas were screened and identified. The samples were collected by cyclone size-selective sampling from Pracha U Tid road, Charoen Krung Road, Klong Toei road, Sukumvit road, Rungsit road and Pratunum, Siam and Victory Monument areas of Bangkok, Thailand, which frequently experience heavy traffic. Two species of bacteria close to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain PVAS6 and Bacillus cereus strain BAB-806 were found in PM₁₀. Therefore, these two species obtained from PM₁₀ contaminated areas were used to study MTBE removal compared to Bacillus megaterium, a VOC removal bacteria. The results showed that at an initial MTBE concentration of 250 ppm, B. cereus strain BAB-806 had higher MTBE removal (60% removal) than B. megaterium (54% removal) and A. calcoaceticus strain PVAS6 (51% removal). Although, B. cereus strain BAB-806 had higher MTBE removal, this strain is a pathogenic bacterium. Therefore, B. megaterium, a non-pathogenic bacterium, is favorable for application at real sites.