title: Optimization of simultaneous removal of Cr (VI) and phenol by a native bacterial consortium: its use for bioaugmentation of co-polluted effluents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to isolate, identify and characterize micro-organisms or mixed cultures capable of simultaneously removing Cr (VI) and phenol in the surrounding area of a tannery localized in Elena, Córdoba, Argentina. In addition, nutritional and physical factors were optimized in order to improve the removal efficiency in a real effluent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The consortium SFC 500-1, composed of two bacterial strains belonging to Acinetobacter and Bacillus genus, was isolated from the heavily polluted wastewater discharge channel of a local tannery. SFC 500-1 was able to remove phenol at environmentally relevant concentrations (1000 mg l(-1) ) and reduce Cr (VI) to Cr (III), which was immobilized in the bacterial biomass. The consortium simultaneously removed these contaminants under a wide range of physicochemical conditions and different growth media, even in a tannery effluent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability of SFC 500-1 to simultaneously reduce Cr (VI) and degrade phenol in different synthetic growth media and even in the effluent from which it was isolated with high efficiency makes this consortium a potential candidate for the biotreatment of effluents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This finding is important, taking into account that industrial effluents present complex mixtures of toxic substances as well as native flora which often affect the bioremediation process. Considering the ecological advantages of using native bacteria for bioremediation, as well as the high efficiency of the consortium SFC 500-1 to simultaneously remove Cr (VI) and phenol, this could be a suitable biological system to improve the biotreatment of polluted effluents through a bioaugmentation strategy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, FCEFQyN, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Ontañon
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, FCEFQyN, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, FCEFQyN, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agostini
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001118:Argentina; D001407:Bacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002857:Chromium / Q000378:metabolism*; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; D010636:Phenols; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: bacterial consortium; chromium; phenol; simultaneous bioremediation; tannery