Biogenic fenton-like reaction involvement in aerobic degradation of C60 by Labrys sp. WJW

Buckminster fullerene (C60), the most representative type among fullerenes, has attracted widely attentions because of its many potential applications. The increasing application of fullerene and limited knowledge of its environmental fate are required concerns. Herein, the biotransformation of C60 by Labrys sp. WJW was investigated. Cell numbers reached 25.76 ± 1.85 folds within 8 days using 100 mg/L C60 as sole carbon source. The biotransformation of C60 by Labrys sp. WJW was analyzed by various characterization methods. Raman spectra indicated that strain WJW broke the soccer ball like structure of C60. After 12 days, over 60% of C60 was degraded evidenced by UV–vis spectrophotometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The underlying biotransformation mechanism of C60 through an extracellular Fenton-like reaction was illustrated. In this reaction, the •OH production was mediated by reduction of H2O2 involving a continuous cycle of Fe(II)/Fe(III). Bacterial transformation of C60 will provide new insights into the understanding of C60 bioremediation process.