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Atrazine Mineralization Potential and Catabolic Gene Detection in Agricultural and Wetland Sites

Anderson, Kristen Lynn

Abstract Details

2003, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Microbiology.
Atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamine-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5 triazine) is a commonly applied herbicide in corn fields. Although the fate of atrazine in agricultural systems has been well studied, the environmental fate of atrazine in wetland systems is less well characterized. The majority of research in this area has focused on aerobic mineralization of atrazine, although anaerobic conditions are commonly found in wetland sediments and bulk soils associated with agricultural fields. The hypothesis for this work was that atrazine would be actively mineralized in agricultural and wetland sites. It was further hypothesized that active mineralization in soils could be correlated with the presence of selected genes involved in atrazine metabolism. Soil, sediment, and water samples were obtained from three sites in Ohio. Atrazine mineralization was investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in these samples using a biometer system in which 14 CO 2 evolution was correlated with atrazine mineralization. All samples mineralized atrazine under aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, some external electron acceptor amendments inhibited mineralization, while others enhanced it. The effect on mineralization varied with the sample and season. Attempts were made to amplify some of the genes involved in atrazine mineralization. Community DNA was isolated from each sample and PCR amplification using three primer sets specific for atzA , trzD , and trzN was performed. Although PCR inhibitors were present in many of the samples, trzN and trzD could be successfully amplified from some DNA samples. All Defiance samples tested positive for trzN with the exception of field B and reservoir water samples. An analog of trzD was amplified from DNA extracted from Defiance and OSU wetland samples. The atzA gene was not detected in any of the samples. An atrazine mineralizing bacterium was isolated from Piketon soil samples and another was obtained from Defiance corn soil. Characterization of these organisms by 16S rDNA sequencing and FAME analysis indicated that both organisms were Arthrobacter spp. From these results, it is clear that the potential for atrazine mineralization was identified in agricultural soils and wetland sediments. No correlation could be made between atrazine mineralization and the presence of any of the tested genes involved in atrazine mineralization
Olli Tuovinen (Advisor)
214 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Anderson, K. L. (2003). Atrazine Mineralization Potential and Catabolic Gene Detection in Agricultural and Wetland Sites [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1048702819

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Anderson, Kristen. Atrazine Mineralization Potential and Catabolic Gene Detection in Agricultural and Wetland Sites. 2003. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1048702819.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Anderson, Kristen. "Atrazine Mineralization Potential and Catabolic Gene Detection in Agricultural and Wetland Sites." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1048702819

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)