Isolation and identification of novel high strength phenol degrading bacterial strains from phenol-formaldehyde resin manufacturing industrial wastewater

Wastewater Treatment Using Membrane Bioreactor Technologies: Removal of Phenolic Contaminants from Oil and Coal Refineries and Pharmaceutical Industries

Huge amounts of noxious chemicals from coal and petrochemical refineries and pharmaceutical industries are released into water bodies. These chemicals are highly toxic and cause adverse effects on both aquatic and terrestrial life. The removal of hazardous contaminants from industrial effluents is expensive and environmentally driven. The majority of the technologies applied nowadays for the removal of phenols and other contaminants are based on physio-chemical processes such as solvent extraction, chemical precipitation, and adsorption. The removal efficiency of toxic chemicals, especially phenols, is low with these technologies when the concentrations are very low. Furthermore, the major drawbacks of these technologies are the high operation costs and inadequate selectivity. To overcome these limitations, researchers are applying biological and membrane technologies together, which are gaining more attention because of their ease of use, high selectivity, and effectiveness. In the present review, the microbial degradation of phenolics in combination with intensified membrane bioreactors (MBRs) has been discussed. Important factors, including the origin and mode of phenols' biodegradation as well as the characteristics of the membrane bioreactors for the optimal removal of phenolic contaminants from industrial effluents are considered. The modifications of MBRs for the removal of phenols from various wastewater sources have also been addressed in this review article. The economic analysis on the cost and benefits of MBR technology compared with conventional wastewater treatments is discussed extensively.

Comparative Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Phenol Degradation and Tolerance in Acinetobacter lwoffii through Adaptive Evolution

Microorganism-based methods have been widely applied for the treatment of phenol-polluted environments. The previously isolated Acinetobacter lwoffii NL1 strain could completely degrade 0.5 g/L phenol within 12 h, but not higher concentrations of phenol. In this study, we developed an evolutionary strain NL115, through adaptive laboratory evolution, which possessed improved degradation ability and was able to degrade 1.5 g/L phenol within 12 h. Compared with that of the starting strain NL1, the concentration of degradable phenol by the developed strain increased three-fold; its phenol tolerance was also enhanced. Furthermore, comparative genomics showed that sense mutations mainly occurred in genes encoding alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, phenol hydroxylase, 30S ribosomal protein, and mercury resistance operon. Comparative transcriptomics between A. lwoffii NL115 and NL1 revealed the enrichment of direct degradation, stress resistance, and vital activity processes among the metabolic responses of A. lwoffii adapted to phenol stress. Among these, all the upregulated genes (log2fold-change > 5) encoded peroxidases. A phenotypic comparison of A. lwoffii NL1 and NL115 found that the adapted strain NL115 exhibited strengthened antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the increased enzymatic activities of phenol hydroxylase and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase in A. lwoffii NL115 validated their response to phenol. Overall, this study provides insight into the mechanism of efficient phenol degradation through adaptive microbial evolution and can help to drive improvements in phenol bioremediation.

Characterization and Biodegradation of Phenol by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella variicola Strains Isolated from Sewage Sludge and Their Effect on Soybean Seeds Germination

Phenols are very soluble in water; as a result, they can pollute a massive volume of fresh water, wastewater, groundwater, oceans, and soil, negatively affecting plant germination and animal and human health. For the detoxification and bioremediation of phenol in wastewater, phenol biodegradation using novel bacteria isolated from sewage sludge was investigated. Twenty samples from sewage sludge (SS) were collected, and bacteria in SS contents were cultured in the mineral salt agar (MSA) containing phenol (500 mg/L). Twenty colonies (S1 up to S20) were recovered from all the tested SS samples. The characteristics of three bacterial properties, 16S rDNA sequencing, similarities, GenBank accession number, and phylogenetic analysis showed that strains S3, S10, and S18 were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Klebsiella variicola, respectively. P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and K. variicola were able to degrade 1000 mg/L phenol in the mineral salt medium. The bacterial strains from sewage sludge were efficient in removing 71.70 and 74.67% of phenol at 1000 mg/L within three days and could tolerate high phenol concentrations (2000 mg/L). The findings showed that P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and K. variicola could potentially treat phenolic water. All soybean and faba bean seeds were germinated after being treated with 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg/L phenol in a mineral salt medium inoculated with these strains. The highest maximum phenol removal and detoxification rates were P. aeruginosa and K. variicola. These strains may help decompose and detoxify phenol from industrial wastewater with high phenol levels and bioremediating phenol-contaminated soils.

Treatment of contaminants by a cathode/FeIII/peroxydisulfate process: Formation of suspended solid organic-polymers

Treatment of highly contaminated wastewaters containing refractory or toxic organic contaminants (e.g. industrial wastewaters) is becoming a global challenge. Most technologies focus on efficient degradation of organic contaminants. Here we improve the cathode/Fe^III/peroxydisulfate (PDS) technology by turning down the current density and develop an innovative mechanism for organic contaminants abatement, namely polymerization rather than degradation, which allows simultaneous contaminants removal and resource recovery from wastewater. This polymerization leads to organic-particles (suspended solid organic-polymers) formation in bulk solution, which is demonstrated by eight kinds of representative organic contaminants. Taking phenol as a representative, 83% of PDS is saved compared to degradation process, with 87.2% of DOC removal. The formed suspended solid organic-polymers occupy 59.2% of COD of the original organics in solution, and can be easily separated from aqueous solution by sedimentation or filtration. The separated organic-polymers are a series of polymers coupled by phenolic monomers, as confirmed by FTIR and ESI-MS analyzes. The energy contained in the recovered organic polymers (4.76 × 10^-5 kWh for 100 mL of 1 mM phenol solution in this study) can fully compensate the consumed electrical energy (2.8 × 10^-5 kWh) in the treatment process. A representative polymerization model for this process is established, in which the SO₄^•- and HO^• generated from PDS activation initiate the polymerization and improve the polymerization degree by the production of oligomer intermediates. A practical coking wastewater treatment is carried out to verify the research results and get positive feedback, with 56.0% of DOC abatement and the suspended solid organic-polymers accounts for 42.5% of the total COD in the raw wastewater. The energy consumption (47 kWh/kg COD, including electricity and PDS cost) is lower than the values in previous reports. This study provides a novel method for industrial wastewater treatment based on polymerization mechanism, which is expected to recover resources while removing pollutants with low consumption.

Pseudomonas in environmental bioremediation of hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds- key catabolic degradation enzymes and new analytical platforms for comprehensive investigation

Pollution of the environment with petroleum hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds is one of the biggest problems in the age of industrialization and high technology. Species of the genus Pseudomonas, present in almost all hydrocarbon-contaminated areas, play a particular role in biodegradation of these xenobiotics, as the genus has the potential to decompose various hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds, using them as its only source of carbon. Plasticity of carbon metabolism is one of the adaptive strategies used by Pseudomonas to survive exposure to toxic organic compounds, so a good knowledge of its mechanisms of degradation enables the development of new strategies for the treatment of pollutants in the environment. The capacity of microorganisms to metabolize aromatic compounds has contributed to the evolutionally conserved oxygenases. Regardless of the differences in structure and complexity between mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, all these compounds are thermodynamically stable and chemically inert, so for their decomposition, ring activation by oxygenases is crucial. Genus Pseudomonas uses several upper and lower metabolic pathways to transform and degrade hydrocarbons, phenolic compounds, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Data obtained from newly developed omics analytical platforms have enormous potential not only to facilitate our understanding of processes at the molecular level but also enable us to instigate and monitor complex biodegradations by Pseudomonas. Biotechnological application of aromatic metabolic pathways in Pseudomonas to bioremediation of environments polluted with crude oil, biovalorization of lignin for production of bioplastics, biofuel, and bio-based chemicals, as well as Pseudomonas-assisted phytoremediation are also considered.

Recent developments in photocatalysis of industrial effluents ։ A review and example of phenolic compounds degradation

Industrial expansion and increased water consumption have created water scarcity concerns. Meanwhile, conventional wastewater purification methods have failed to degrade recalcitrant pollutants efficiently. The present review paper discusses the recent advances and challenges in photocatalytic processes applied for industrial effluents treatment, with respect to phenolic compounds degradation. Key operational parameters including the catalyst loading, light intensity, initial pollutants concentration, pH, and type and concentrations of oxidants are evaluated and discussed. Compared to the other examined controlling parameters, pH has the highest effect on the photo-oxidation of contaminants by means of the photocatalyst ionization degree and surface charge. Furthermore, major phenolic compounds derived from industrial sources are comprehensively presented and the applicability of photocatalytic processes and the barriers in practical applications, including high energy demand, technical challenges, photocatalyst stability, and recyclability have been explored. The importance of energy consumption and operational costs for realistic large-scale processes are also discussed. Finally, research gaps in this area and the suggested direction for improving degradation efficiencies in industrial applications are presented. In the light of these premises, selective degradation processes in real water matrices such as untreated sewage are proposed.

Kinetics and molecular mechanism of enhanced fluoranthene biodegradation by co-substrate phenol in co-culture of Stenotrophomonas sp. N5 and Advenella sp. B9

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenol are persistent pollutants that coexist in coking wastewater (CWW). Fluoranthene (Flu) is the predominant PAH species in the CWW treatment system. Our work emphasized on distinguishing the effects of phenol on Flu biodegradation by co-culture of Stenotrophomonas sp. N5 and Advenella sp. B9 and illustrated the molecular mechanisms. Results showed Flu biodegradation by co-culture was enhanced by phenol. According to the first-order degradation kinetic analysis of Flu, phenol significantly increased the biodegradation rate constant and shortened the half-life of Flu. Transcriptome analysis pointed out the up-regulation of DNA repair activity and 3717 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs), were triggered by 800 mg/L phenol. GO enrichment analysis suggested these DEGs are mainly concentrated in biochemical processes such as metal ion binding and alpha-amino acid biosynthesis, which are closely associated with Flu biodegradation, indicating that phenol promotes DNA repair activity and reduces Flu genotoxicity. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the gene expression of aromatic ring-opening dioxygenase. Combined with transcriptome analysis, the qRT-PCR results suggested phenol did not induce the expression of related PAHs-degrading enzymes. RNA extraction and microbial growth curves of COC and COC + Ph provided further evidence that phenol serves as co-substrate which increases biomass and the concentration of degrading enzymes, therefore promoting the Flu degradation.

Intensified phenol and p-cresol biodegradation for wastewater treatment in countercurrent packed-bed column bioreactors

An intensified biodegradation process in packed-bed column bioreactors (PBCB) with microbial cells attached to packing/micro-particles surface was proposed and simulated via a dynamic 3D model with continuity, momentum, and species (comprising biomicro-particles) balance equations in liquid/gas, accumulation of biomicro-particles in packed-bed, diffusion and enzymatic reaction within biofilm and liquid film. Phenol and phenol/p-cresol biological removal by Pseudomonas putida was chosen to discuss the enhanced biodegradation efficiency. The biodegradation in single/dual-substrate systems is significantly upgraded as biomass loading on micro-particles surface increases. Microbial cells addition to the surface of micro-particles is more efficient when the foremost extent of biomass is attached to packing via large biofilms with increased resistance to mass transfer, at low phenol concentrations and liquid velocities. These intensified biodegradation systems aim at maximizing the mass transfer in PBCB for treatment of wastewater having high phenols concentration, without reducing the residence time of liquid or diluting the effluent.

Biological treatment of coke plant effluents: from a microbiological perspective

During coke production, large volume of effluent is generated, which has a very complex chemical composition and contains several toxic and carcinogenic substances, mainly aromatic compounds, cyanide, thiocyanate and ammonium. The composition of these high-strength effluents is very diverse and depends on the quality of coals used and the operating and technological parameters of coke ovens. In general, after initial physicochemical treatment, biological purification steps are applied in activated sludge bioreactors. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the anaerobic and aerobic transformation processes and describes key microorganisms, such as phenol- and thiocyanate-degrading, floc-forming, nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, which contribute to the removal of pollutants from coke plant effluents. Providing the theoretical basis for technical issues (in this case the microbiology of coke plant effluent treatment) aids the optimization of existing technologies and the design of new management techniques.

Analysis of Phenol Biodegradation in Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Resistant Acinetobacter lwoffii NL1

Phenol is a common environmental contaminant. The purpose of this study was to isolate phenol-degrading microorganisms from wastewater in the sections of the Chinese Medicine Manufactory. The phenol-degrading Acinetobacter lwoffii NL1 was identified based on a combination of biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA genes. To analyze the molecular mechanism, the whole genome of A. lwoffii NL1 was sequenced, yielding 3499 genes on one circular chromosome and three plasmids. Enzyme activity analysis showed that A. lwoffii NL1 degraded phenol via the ortho-cleavage rather than the meta-cleavage pathway. Key genes encoding phenol hydroxylase and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase were located on a megaplasmid (pNL1) and were found to be separated by mobile genetic elements; their function was validated by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and quantitative real-time PCR. A. lwoffii NL1 could degrade 0.5 g/L phenol within 12 h and tolerate a maximum of 1.1 g/L phenol, and showed resistance against multiple antibiotics and heavy metal ions. Overall, this study shows that A. lwoffii NL1 can be potentially used for efficient phenol degradation in heavy metal wastewater treatment.

Isolation, characterization and growth kinetics of phenol hyper-tolerant bacteria from sewage-fed aquaculture system

Pollution of aquatic resources is increasing day-by-day, and phenolic compounds are common pollutants negatively impacting aquatic biodiversity and production. This study aimed at isolation of phenol hyper-tolerant bacteria from polluted aquaculture resource so that they might be useful in aquaculture systems. Four phenol hyper-tolerant bacterial strains were isolated from sewage fed East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar site. By 16S rDNA sequence, cell morphology and biochemical characteristics the strains PDB2, PDB13, PDB16, and PDB26 were identified as Acinetobacter sp., Acinetobacter junii, Pseudomonas citronellolis, and Bacillus cereus, respectively. Pseudomonas citronellolis strain PDB16, described in this study, is possibly the first report of phenol hyper-tolerant strain in this species. All the four strains degraded 600 mg L^-1 phenol within 5 days and expressed catechol 1,2-dioxygenase but lacked catechol 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme suggesting that the bacteria used the ortho-cleavage pathway for phenol degradation. In growth kinetic study Edwards and Aiba model, rather than the most popular Haldane model, gave the best fit indicating behavioral divergence of these strains with those from petroleum contaminated environments. The phenol degrading bacteria isolated from a polluted sewage fed aquaculture system might be useful in degradation and remediation of polluted aquaculture resources as well as inland open waters.

Structure and function of microbial community involved in a novel full-scale prefix oxic coking wastewater treatment O/H/O system

A novel full-scale prefix oxic coking wastewater (CWW) biological treatment O/H/O system had been operated steadily six years with the effluent quality meeting national discharge standard. Comparing to the traditional CWW biological treatment process, which usually have an anaerobic unit at the start of the process, here the O/H/O system has obvious advantages in COD removal, total nitrogen removal and reduced energy consumption. It is very necessary to illustrate the structure and function of the microbial community involved in different bioreactors of the O/H/O system. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing was used to examine the 16S rRNA genes in this system. Results revealed a contrasting microbial composition among the activated sludge samples of three sequential bioreactors: the β-Proteobacteria related sequences dominated in the O₁ activated sludge with the relative abundance of 56.44% while 7.53% of the sequences were assigned to Thiobacillus; Rhodoplanes related sequences dominated in the bioreactor H and O₂ activated sludge with relative abundance of 8.86% and 8.92%, respectively. The physico-chemical characteristics of CWW were analyzed by standard methods and the operational parameters were routinely monitored to examine their effects on the microbial communities. The bioinformatics software package of phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) was used to predict the microbial community functional profiling and found three dominant genera of Rhodoplanes, Lysobacter and Leucobacter enriched the xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism pathway. The diverse and distinct microbial community involved in biological treatment processes of CWW treatment indicating that water characteristics and operational parameters determined the microbial community composition. These results significantly expanded our knowledge of the biodiversity and population dynamics of microorganisms and discerned the relationships between bacterial communities and environmental variables in the biological treatment processes. Moreover, in this study, we proposed a comprehensive biodegradation model of CWW treatment and defined as O/H/O system.

Simultaneous 3-/4-Hydroxybenzoates Biodegradation and Arsenite Oxidation by Hydrogenophaga sp. H7

Aromatic compounds and arsenic (As) often coexist in the environment. As(III)-oxidizing bacteria can oxidize the more toxic As(III) into the less toxic As(V), and As(V) is easily removed. Microorganisms with the ability to degrade aromatic compounds and oxidize arsenite [As(III)] may have strong potential to remediate co-contaminated water. In this study, a Gram-negative bacterium Hydrogenophaga sp. H7 was shown to simultaneously degrade 3-hydroxybenzoate (3-HBA) or 4-HBA (3-/4-HBA) and oxidize arsenite [As(III)] to arsenate [As(V)] during culture. Notably, the addition of As(III) enhanced the degradation rates of 3-/4-HBA, while the addition of 3-/4-HBA resulted in a slight delay in As(III) oxidation. Use of a 1% bacterial culture in combination with FeCl₃ could completely degrade 250 mg/L 3-HBA or 4-HBA and remove 400 μM As(III) from simulated lake water within 28 h. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of As(III) oxidation/resistance genes and two putative 3-/4-HBA degradation pathways (the protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase degradation pathway and the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase degradation pathway). Comparative proteomics suggested that strain H7 degraded 4-HBA via the protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase degradation pathway in the absence of As(III); however, 4-HBA could be degraded via the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase degradation pathway in the presence of As(III). In the presence of As(III), more NADH was produced by the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase degradation pathway and/or by As(III) oxidation, which explained the enhancement of bacterial 4-HBA degradation in the presence of As(III). In addition, the key gene dmpB, which encodes catechol 2,3-dioxygenase in the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase degradation pathway, was knocked out, which resulted in the disappearance of As(III)-enhanced bacterial 4-HBA degradation from the dmpB mutant strain, which further confirmed that As(III) enhancement of 4-HBA degradation was due to the utilization of the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase pathway. These discoveries indicate that Hydrogenophaga sp. H7 has promise for the application to the removal of aromatic compounds and As co-contamination and reveal the relationship between As oxidation and aromatic compound degradation.

Mass spectrometric detection of the Gibbs reaction for phenol analysis

This paper describes a new method for detecting phenols, by reaction with Gibbs reagent to form indophenols, followed by mass spectrometric detection. Unlike the standard Gibbs reaction, which uses a colorometric approach, the use of mass spectrometry allows for simultaneous detection of differently substituted phenols. The procedure is demonstrated to work for a large variety of phenols without para-substitution. With para-substituted phenols, Gibbs products are still often observed, but the specific product depends on the substituent. For para groups with high electronegativity, such as methoxy or halogens, the reaction proceeds by displacement of the substituent. For groups with lower electronegativity, such as amino or alkyl groups, Gibbs products are observed that retain the substituent, indicating that the reaction occurs at the ortho or meta position. In mixtures of phenols, the relative intensities of the Gibbs products are proportional to the relative concentrations, and concentrations as low as 1 μmol/L can be detected. The method is applied to the qualitative analysis of commercial liquid smoke, and it is found that hickory and mesquite flavors have significantly different phenolic composition.

Biochemical and microbiological activity of soil contaminated with o-cresol and biostimulated with Perna canaliculus mussel meal

The choice of the study subject was a consequence of the growing interest in volatile organic compounds which are strongly dispersed in the environment. The knowledge of o-cresol's capability for being broken down by bacteria should be supplemented by studies aimed at determining the biochemical and microbiological activity of soils. o-Cresol was applied at the following rates: 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 50 mg of o-cresol kg^-1 d.m. of soil to determine its effect on the biological properties of soil. The activity of dehydrogenases, catalase, urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and β-glucosidase, the eight groups of microorganism counts, was determined in soil samples after 45 days and the barley yield was determined. Preventive biostimulation with Perna canaliculus mussel meal, illustrated by means of the index of fertility (IF), was conducted in order to eliminate the adverse effect of o-cresol. The soil and crop resistance index (RS) was used to illustrate the response of barley, and R:S-the rhizosphere effect index was used to determine the effect of the crop on the enzymatic activity of soil. o-Cresol had a beneficial effect on the biological activity of soil at an acceptable rate of 0.1 and 1 mg kg^-1 d.m. of soil, and it became its inhibitor after being applied at 10 and 50 mg kg^-1 d.m. of soil, which also brought about a decrease in the resistance of spring barley. Dehydrogenases are the most sensitive, and catalase is the least sensitive, to the pressure of o-cresol in soil. Mussel meal can be recommended as a biostimulator of soil fertility. It also eliminated the negative effect of o-cresol on its biological activity.

Isolation and Transcriptome Analysis of Phenol-Degrading Bacterium From Carbon-Sand Filters in a Full-Scale Drinking Water Treatment Plant

Phenol is a typical organic contaminant in the environment. To date, the biodegradation of phenol by microorganisms remains the preferred method for its removal and remediation, but data on phenol removal by drinking water biofilters are lacking. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the microbial community structure in a carbon-sand biofilter. The results indicated that the predominant bacterial group was Bacilli, followed by Gammaproteobacteria, Clostridia, and Alphaproteobacteria. In addition, a strain was capable of degrading phenol at low concentrations of 500 μg/L within 100 min was isolated and identified as Rhodococcus sp. CS-1. Transcriptome analysis results showed that Rhodococcus sp. CS-1 was able to degrade phenol via both the catechol and protocatechuate branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway. Furthermore, some novel candidate biomarkers (copper oxidase, copper chaperone, and MarR/DeoR/TetR family transcriptional regulators) were successfully identified to be potentially involved in phenol biodegradation. This study indicates that carbon-sand filters have the potential for remediation of phenol. The application of native microorganisms to drinking water treatment system is an adaptive strategy in oligotrophic water environments.

Resuscitation of functional bacterial community for enhancing biodegradation of phenol under high salinity conditions based on Rpf

This study assumed that key degraders of functional bacterial community were prone to enter into the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under high saline phenolic conditions, and resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf) could strengthen these degraders for better performances. Based on these assumptions, Rpf was used to enhance salt-tolerant phenol-degrading capability of functional populations in activated sludge. Results suggested that Rpf accelerated the start-up process during sludge domestication, and significantly enhanced salt-tolerant phenol-degrading capability. High-throughput sequencing showed that the resuscitation and stimulation functions of Rpf linked mainly to the genus Corynebacterium within the phylum Actinobacteria, and the genera Proteiniphilum and Petrimonas within the phylum Bacteroidete. These key functional populations contributed to better phenol-degrading capabilities under high salinity conditions. This study indicated that Rpf is a promising additive for improving biological treatment performance of saline phenolic wastewater.

Alleviation of toxic hexavalent chromium using indigenous aerobic bacteria isolated from contaminated tannery industry sites

In the last decade, much attention has been paid to bioremediation of Cr(VI) using various bacterial species. Cr(VI) remediation by indegeneous bacteria isolated from contaminated sites of a tannery industry located in Tamil Nadu, India, was investigated in this study. Three Cr(VI) resistant bacterial strains (TES-1, TEf-1, and TES-2) were isolated and selected based on their Cr(VI) reduction ability in minimal salt medium. Among these three bacterial strains, TES-1 was found to be most efficient in bioreduction, while TES-2 was only found to be Cr(VI) resistant and showed negligible bioreduction, whereas TEf-1 was observed to be most Cr(VI) tolerant. Potential for bioremediation of TES-1 and TEf-1 was further investigated at different concentrations of Cr(VI) in the range of 50 to 350 mg L(-1). TEf-1 showed prominent synchronous growth throughout the experiment, whereas TES-1 took a longer acclimatization time. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Cr(VI) for TES-1 and TEf-1 were approximated as 600 mg L(-1) and 750 mg L(-1), respectively. The kinetic behavior of Cr(VI) reduction by TES-1 and TEf-1 exhibited zero- and first-order removal kinetics for Cr(VI), respectively. The most efficient strain TES-1 was identified as Streptomyces sp. by gene sequencing of 16S rRNA.

Biodegradation of Phenol by Bacteria Strain Acinetobacter Calcoaceticus PA Isolated from Phenolic Wastewater

A phenol-degrading bacterium strain PA was successfully isolated from the effluent of petrochemical wastewater. Based on its morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, the strain PA was characterized as a Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, nonmotile and short rod-shaped bacterium that utilizes phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that this strain is affiliated to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus in the group of Gammaproteobacteria. The strain was efficient in removing 91.6% of the initial 800 mg∙L⁻¹ phenol within 48 h, and had a tolerance of phenol concentration as high as 1700 mg∙L⁻¹. These results indicated that A. calcoaceticus possesses a promising potential in treating phenolic wastewater.

Isolation and growth kinetics of a novel phenol-degrading bacterium Microbacterium oxydans from the sediment of Taihu Lake (China)

Seven phylogenetically diverse phenol-degrading bacterial strains designated as P1 to P7 were isolated from the industry-effluent dump sites of an industrial area near Taihu Lake, China. Through the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these strains were widely distributed among five different genera: Rhodococcus (P1), Pseudomonas (P2-P4), Acinetobacter (P5), Alcaligenes (P6), and Microbacterium (P7). All seven isolates were capable of growing with phenol as the sole carbon source. Strain P7 was found to be a novel phenol-degrading strain by detailed morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristic analysis as well as the 16S rDNA sequence analyses, and was named Microbacterium oxydans LY1 (M. oxydans LY1 in its short form). Degradation experiments of phenol at various initial concentrations (20-1,000 mg/L) revealed that phenol is an inhibitory substrate to M. oxydans LY1. In a batch culture experiment, more than 95% of the phenol (500 mg/L) was degraded by M. oxydans LY1 at 30°C, pH 7.0 and 120 rpm within 88 h. Phenol concentration higher than 200 mg/L was found to inhibit the bacterial growth. The growth kinetics correlated well with the Haldane model with μmax (maximum specific cell growth rate) = 0.243 h(-1), Ks (saturation constant) = 25.7 mg/L, and Ki (self-inhibition constant) = 156.3 mg/L. This is the first report of the ability of M. oxydans to degrade phenol, and the results could provide important information for bioremediation of phenol-contaminated environments.

Isolation and characterization of formaldehyde-degrading fungi and its formaldehyde metabolism

Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen that may cause nasopharyngeal cancer and probably leukemia. The effects of environmental and nutritional factors on fungal growth and the biodegradation of formaldehyde were investigated. Fungal strains SGFA1 and SGFA3 isolated from untreated sewage sediment samples collected from heavily formaldehyde-contaminated areas were identified using morphological characteristics and molecular techniques and named as Aspergillus nomius SGFA1 and Penicillium chrysogenum SGFA3. Results indicate that SGFA1 and SGFA3 completely consumed 3,000 and 900 mg l(-1) of formaldehyde, respectively, within 7 days under optimized conditions. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses and enzyme activity analyses demonstrated that glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (GDFADH) and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) pathway may play a functional role in enhancing formaldehyde-degrading capability in SGFA1. Both fungi have potential use for remediation of formaldehyde pollution.

Novel method for determination of phenol degradation kinetics

In this study, we proposed a new method for estimating biokinetic parameters in phenol degradation kinetics. The new method relies on the new formulation of q-S relation where degradation rate q is calculated from the changes of substrate concentration S for each time segment during the course of entire degradation, while in the conventional method q is obtained from the slope of the straight line that is given as substrate concentration changes with time in a semi-logarithmic scale. Thus, this new method provided more data points than the conventional method. The q-S relations obtained from the new method and the conventional method were fitted with three inhibitory kinetic models of Haldane, Yano and Edwards. Simulation of degradation profile with each kinetic model and comparison with the observed profile revealed that the new method offered a better prediction with Edwards model as the best inhibitory model.

Formaldehyde degradation by Ralstonia eutropha in an immobilized cell bioreactor

The formaldehyde (FA) degradation ability of the loofa-immobilized Ralstonia eutropha cells in a packed bed reactor was modeled using a statistically based design of the experiment (DOE) considering application of response surface methodology (RSM). The simultaneous effects of four operative test factors on the cells performance in terms of FA degradation rate and extent of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were monitored. The combination of factors at initial FA concentration of 629.7 mg L(-1)h(-1), recycling substrate flow rate of 4.4 mL min(-1), aeration rate of 1.05 vvm, and the system's temperature of 28.8°C resulted the optimal conditions for the FA biodegradation rate and COD removal efficiency. Loofa porous structure was found to be a protective environment for the cells in exposing to the toxic substances and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed extensive cells penetration within this support. Oxygen transfer analysis in the form of evaluating K la value was also carried out and at the optimum conditions of the DOE was equaled to 9.96 h(-1)and oxygen uptake rate was 35.6 mg L(-1)h(-1).

Degradation of formaldehyde at high concentrations by phenol-adapted Ralstonia eutropha closely related to pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs

The ability of the phenol-adapted Ralstonia eutropha to utilize formaldehyde (FD) as the sole source of carbon and energy was studied. Adaptation to FD was accomplished by substituting FD for glucose in a stepwise manner. The bacterium in the liquid test culture could tolerate concentrations of FD up to 900 mg L(-1). Degradation of FD was complete in 528 h at 30°C with shaking at 150 rpm (r = 1.67 mg L(-1) h(-1)), q = 0.035 g(FD) g(cell) (-1) h(-1). Substrate inhibition kinetics (Haldane and Luong equations) are used to describe the experimental data. At non-inhibitory concentrations of FD, the Monod equation was used. According to the Luong model, the values of the maximum specific growth rate (μ(max)), half-saturation coefficient (k(S)), the maximum allowable formaldehyde concentration (S(m)), and the shape factor (n) were 0.117 h(-1), 47.6 mg L(-1), 900 mg L(-1), and 2.2, respectively. The growth response of the test bacterium to consecutive FD feedings was examined, and the FD-adapted R. eutropha cells were able to degrade 1000 mg L(-1) FD in 150 h through 4 cycles of FD feeds. During FD degradation, formic acid metabolite was formed. Assimilation of FD, methanol, formic acid, and oxalate by the test bacterium was accompanied by the formation of a pink pigment. The carotenoid nature of the cellular pigment has been confirmed and the test bacterium appeared to be closely related to pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM). The extent of harm to soil exposed to biotreated wastewaters containing FD may be moderated due to the association between methylotrophic/oxalotrophic bacteria and plants.

Biosorption and bio-kinetic studies of halobacterial strains against Ni2+, Al3+ and Hg2+ metal ions

The present study is an attempt to find out the promising metal (Ni(2+), Al(3+), and Hg(2+)) biosorbant halobacterial strains from saltern pan and to study their biokinetic parameters for metal recovery. Of the selected 65 isolates, Natronobacterium magadii, Natronococcus occultus and Halobacterium sodomense shows the maximum metal resistance activity against Ni(2+) (250 ppm), Al(3+) (600 ppm) and Hg(2+) (25 ppm) metals. Biokinetic parameters such as maximum specific growth rate (μ(max)), substrate removable [S] rate, half velocity constant (K(s)), endogenous or decay co-efficient (k(d)), yield co-efficient rate (Yd(-1)) are also analyzed for the selected metals. Further the results of the SEM-EDS analysis confirms the metals uptake of Ni(2+) and Al(3+) in higher concentration and Hg(2+) in lower concentration. It is concluded from the present study that, the biosorption of heavy metals by solar saltern halobacteria can be used as a potential source for the bioremediation of metals.

Biodegradation dynamics and cell maintenance for the treatment of resorcinol and p-cresol by filamentous fungus Gliomastix indicus

Biodegradation of resorcinol and p-cresol using fungus Gliomastix indicus MTCC 3869 was investigated in batch culture experiments at 28°C temperature and pH of 6 in the medium up to the initial concentration of 1300 mg/L and 700 mg/L for resorcinol and p-cresol, respectively. Five specific growth kinetic models and five specific degradation rate models were fitted to the experimental data in order to get best fitted kinetic models. The variation of observed growth yield and maintenance energy requirement with the initial substrate concentration was also studied. The model for maintenance energy coefficient was fitted to the experimental data. The model parameters were: m(1)=0.0135 h(-1), k=0.054, μ(max)=0.132 h(-1) for resorcinol and m(1)=0.0229 h(-1), k=0.011, μ(max)=0.102 h(-1) for p-cresol. Two mathematical models comprising of two sets of ODE were solved simultaneously to get degradation profiles with time. The model with varying growth yield and maintenance energy was found to be most appropriate biodegradation model.

Growth kinetics and phenol biodegradation of psychrotrophic Pseudomonas putida LY1

This study investigated the growth kinetics of a psychrotroph, Pseudomonas putida LY1, while growing on phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. This bacterium could completely biodegrade 200mg/L phenol across a temperature range from 2.5 to 35 degrees C, with an optimum temperature of 25 degrees C. High initial phenol concentrations (800 mg/ml) were inhibitory to bacterial growth. At lower concentrations of phenol, the growth kinetics correlated well with the Haldane model. The Haldane parameters of psychrotrophic P. putida LY1 were almost within the range reported for other organisms in previous literature. This information on a psychrotrophic organism is of great importance for low temperature bioremediation of contaminated environments.

Microbial degradation of phenol in a modified three-stage airlift packing-bed reactor

Phenol degradation was carried out by using a modified three-stage airlift packing-bed bioreactor. A laboratory-scale airlift packing-bed reactor, with hydrodynamic flexible packing material in the three-stage bioreactor, was constructed and operated for phenol removal from synthetic wastewater. The airlift packing-bed reactor successfully degraded phenol and lowered the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of wastewater. High COD removal was observed, and much lower sludge effluent was obtained in this investigation. This airlift bioreactor showed a superior hydrodynamics performance and broad operating conditions for phenolic material removal. Different operating modes were discussed to obtain the optimal condition for phenol degradation (i.e., hydraulic retention time [HRT] and gas flowrate of airlift). The HRT and feed phenol concentration of wastewater dominated the removal efficiency of phenol and COD. In this bioreactor, surface loading up to 2.84 g phenol/ m2 x d, almost 100% phenol removal, and over 90% COD removal was achieved. The lower operating cost combined with higher phenol-removal efficiency and a low sludge effluent concentration can be achieved by using this reactor for phenol wastewater treatment.

Biodegradation and detoxication of phenol by using free and immobilized cells of Acinetobacter sp. XA05 and Sphingomonas sp. FG03

Strain XA05 and FG03 with high biodegradation activity of phenol were isolated from the activated sludge and phenol-contaminated soils in Northwest of China, respectively. DNA sequencing and homologous analysis of 16s rRNA gene identified that XA05 belonged to an Acinetobacter sp. and FG03 was closely related to the Sphingomonas sp. Cells of strain XA05 and FG03 were mixed at the ratio of 1:1, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as a gel matrix to immobilize mixed cells by repeated freezing and thawing. Biodegradation was evaluated by determining phenol. Detoxication was evaluated by using Daphnia magna toxicity tests. The removal effciency of phenol and factors affecting phenol degradation were investigated, the stability of the immobilized cells was also reported. Experimental values indicated that both free cells and immobilized cells showed high phenol degradation effciencies, higher than 95% within 35 h with an initial concentration of 800 mg/L phenol, and the immobilized cells showed better performance than that of the suspended-culture cells. These results indicate that immobilized Acinetobncter sp. XA05 and Sphingomonas sp. FG03 possesses a good application potential in the treatment of phenol-containing wastewater.

Identification and genetic characterization of phenol-degrading bacteria from leaf microbial communities

Microbial communities on aerial plant leaves may contribute to the degradation of organic air pollutants such as phenol. Epiphytic bacteria capable of phenol degradation were isolated from the leaves of green ash trees grown at a site rich in airborne pollutants. Bacteria from these communities were subjected, in parallel, to serial enrichments with increasing concentrations of phenol and to direct plating followed by a colony autoradiography screen in the presence of radiolabeled phenol. Ten isolates capable of phenol mineralization were identified. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these isolates included members of the genera Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, and Rhodococcus. The sequences of the genes encoding the large subunit of a multicomponent phenol hydroxylase (mPH) in these isolates indicated that the mPHs of the gram-negative isolates belonged to a single kinetic class, and that is one with a moderate affinity for phenol; this affinity was consistent with the predicted phenol levels in the phyllosphere. PCR amplification of genes for catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) in combination with a functional assay for C23O activity provided evidence that the gram-negative strains had the C12O-, but not the C23O-, phenol catabolic pathway. Similarly, the Rhodococcus isolates lacked C23O activity, although consensus primers to the C12O and C23O genes of Rhodococcus could not be identified. Collectively, these results demonstrate that these leaf surface communities contained several taxonomically distinct phenol-degrading bacteria that exhibited diversity in their mPH genes but little diversity in the catabolic pathways they employ for phenol degradation.

Characterization of phenol degradation by Rhizobium sp. CCNWTB 701 isolated from Astragalus chrysopteru in mining tailing region

To screen high strength phenol degrading bacteria, we selected 108 rhizobial strains isolated from nodules of eight wild legumes species in the mining tailing region of Shaanxi province, northwest of China, and cultivated them in a basal salt (BS) medium supplemented with different phenol concentrations as a sole carbon source. The results showed that some of the strains could use phenol as sole carbon source. In order to study the characteristics of phenol degradation, the strain CCNWTB701 isolated from Astragalus chrysopteru was used as well, due to the fact that it was very efficient in phenol degradation. The phenol degradation was around 99.5 and 78.3%, with an initial concentration of 900 and 1000 mg/l phenol in 62 and 66 h, respectively. Kinetic studies indicated that the strain had a high KS (743.1 microM) and an extremely high KSI (10,469 microM) in Haldane's model. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that CCNWTB701 belonged to the Rhizobium genus, and it was closely related to Rhizobium mongolense and Rhizobium gallicum.

Performance of pulsed plate bioreactor for biodegradation of phenol

Biodegradation of phenol was carried out using Nocardia hydrocarbonoxydans immobilised on glass beads, in a pulsed plate bioreactor. The effect of operating parameters like frequency of pulsation and amplitude of pulsation on the performance of pulsed plate bioreactor for biodegradation of phenol in a synthetic wastewater containing 500ppm phenol was studied. Axial concentration profile measurements revealed that the pulsed plate bioreactor shows continuous stirred tank behaviour. As the amplitude was increased, percentage degradation increased, reaching 100% at amplitude of 4.7cm and higher. Introduction of pulsation is found to increase the percentage degradation. Percentage degradation has increased with increase in frequency and 100% degradation was achieved at 0.5s(-1) and above. Biofilms developed in a non-pulsed bioreactor were thicker than those in the pulsed plate bioreactor. But biofilm thickness remained almost constant with increasing frequency. Biofilm density was found to be influenced by pulsation. The time required to reach steady state was more for pulsed reactor than the non-pulsed reactor and this start-up time had increased with increase in frequency of pulsation. The performance studies reveal that the pulsed plate bioreactor with immobilized cells has the potential to be an efficient bioreactor for wastewater treatment.