Tebrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) biodegradation by complex microbial communities: uncovering metabolic pathways by meta-omics analysis

• Grant number: 20/11984-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2021
• End date: February 21, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Zaiat
• Grantee: Williane Vieira Macêdo
• Supervisor: Jeppe Lund Nielsen
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/17744-6 - Combined system for the treatment of Tetrabromobisphenol a (TBBPA) by anaerobic digestion and advanced oxidative processes, BP.DR

Abstract

The relevance of fundamental research on how a micropollutant is biologically converted into less toxic and persistent chemicals is the first step to apply biochemical knowledge on industrial processes. Even though Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most used flame retardant worldwide and is often detected in wastewaters and water bodies, its biodegradation is poorly understood. The comprehension of the TBBPA bioconversion process may lead to extent knowledge on other flame retardants environmental fate and to further optimization on wastewater treatment biotechnologies. From previous studies, it seems that the degradation of TBBPA is catalyzed by physiologically diverse organisms in different environmental settings, but the studies often yield conflicting and inconclusive results, requiring more profound investigations. Even though the biochemical pathways, enzymatic activity, cofactors, and environmental interference on TBBPA degradation by natural occurring microbial communities are of major relevance, they remain scarce and little explored. Thus, this project aims at enhancing the comprehension of the microorganisms' interactions and the metabolic pathways responsible for the biocatalytic reactions on TBBPA degradation through advanced meta-omics studies. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MACEDO, WILLIANE VIEIRA; POULSEN, JAN STRUCKMANN; ZAIAT, MARCELO; NIELSEN, JEPPE LUND. Proteogenomics identification of TBBPA degraders in anaerobic bioreactor. Environmental Pollution, v. 310, p. 9-pg., 2022-08-02. (20/11984-5, 18/17744-6)

MACEDO, WILLIANE VIEIRA; POULSEN, JAN STRUCKMANN; DUARTE OLIVEIRA, GUILHERME HENRIQUE; NIELSEN, JEPPE LUND; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) biodegradation in acidogenic systems: One step further on where and who. Science of The Total Environment, v. 808, FEB 20 2022. (18/17744-6, 20/11984-5, 15/06246-7)