title: Screening of SDS-degrading bacteria from car wash wastewater and study of the alkylsulfatase enzyme activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is one of the main surfactant components in detergents and cosmetics, used in high amounts as a detergent in products such as shampoos, car wash soap and toothpaste. Therefore, its bioremediation by suitable microorganisms is important. Alkylsulfatase is an enzyme that hydrolyses sulfate -ester bonds to give inorganic sulfate and alcohol. The purpose of this study was to isolate SDS-degrading bacteria from Tehran city car wash wastewater, study bacterial alkylsulfatase enzyme activity and identify the alkylsulfatase enzyme coding gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  Screening of SDS-degrading bacteria was carried out on basal salt medium containing SDS as the sole source of carbon. Amount of SDS degraded was assayed by methylene blue active substance (MBAS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identification of the sdsA gene was carried by PCR and subsequent sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene and biochemical tests identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This bacterium is able to degrade 84% of SDS after four days incubation. Bacteria isolated from car wash wastewater were shown to carry the sdsA gene (670bp) and the alkylsulfatase enzyme specific activity expressed from this gene was determined to be 24.3 unit/mg. The results presented in this research indicate that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a suitable candidate for SDS biodegradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
authors.forename: Roha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kasra-Kermanshahi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gharavi
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Moosavi-Nejad
authors.forename: Faezeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borzooee
keywords: SDS; alkylsulfatase enzyme; biodegrading bacteria; car wash wastewater; screening