title: Fermented whey--an inexpensive feed source for a laboratory-scale selenium-bioremediation reactor system inoculated with Thauera selenatis.
abstract: It is critical that an inexpensive electrondonor/carbon-source be found for selenium bioremediation using the selenate-respiring bacterium, Thauera selenatis. Since acetate is a preferred substrate for growth of this organism, a method was developed for fermenting the lactose in whey to large amounts of acetate. Indigenous whey microorganisms fermented the whey lactose in this manner when grown in continuous culture at a very slow dilution rate (D = 0.05 h-1). The successful use of the fermented whey lactose as the carbon-source/electron-donor feed for a laboratory-scale selenium-bioremediation reactor system, inoculated with T. selenatis, treating selenium-contaminated drainage water was also demonstrated. Selenium oxyanions and nitrate were reduced by 98%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Bledsoe
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Cantafio
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Macy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D006092:Gram-Negative Facultatively Anaerobic Rods / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D008894:Milk Proteins; D012643:Selenium; D007785:Lactose