Biodegradation of ketoprofen using a microalgal-bacterial consortium.
OBJECTIVE
To test the toxicity of ketoprofen (a commonly-used NSAIDs) using two microalgal strains and Artemia sp. following the isolation of bacterial and microalgal strains and testing their ability to biodegrade and tolerate ketoprofen.


RESULTS
Chlorella sp. was the most resistant to ketoprofen. A defined bacterial consortium (K2) degraded 5 mM ketoprofen as a sole carbon source both in the dark or continuous illumination. Ketoprofen did not undergo photodegradation. In the dark, biodegradation was faster with a lag phase of 10 h, 41% COD removal and 82 % reduction in toxicity. The consortium degraded up to 16 mM ketoprofen. The consortium was composed of four bacterial isolates that were identified. MS/MS analysis suggested a ketoprofen biodegradation pathway that has not been previously reported. Combining Chlorella sp. and the K2 consortium, ketoprofen was degraded within 7 days under a diurnal cycle of 12 h light/12 h dark.


CONCLUSIONS
The feasibility of using a microalgal-bacterial system to treat pharmaceutical wastewater is promising for the reduction of the process cost and providing a safer technology for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.
Microbiology and Immunology Department and Biotechnology Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, Egypt. maha.ismail@pharma.cu.edu.eg.
Maha M
MM
Ismail
Microbiology and Immunology Department and Biotechnology Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
Tamer M
TM
Essam
Microbiology and Immunology Department and Biotechnology Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
Yasser M
YM
Ragab
Microbiology and Immunology Department and Biotechnology Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
Fathia E
FE
Mourad
D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010777:Photochemistry; D053545:Spirulina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
D007660:Ketoprofen
Artemia; Biodegradation; Chlorella; Ketoprofen NSAIDs; Spirulina; Wastewater