title: Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by an acidophilic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain AJH1 isolated from a mineral mining site in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: The present study aims at analyzing the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at acidic conditions (pH = 2) by acidophilic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain AJH1 (KU664513). The strain AJH1 was obtained from an enrichment culture obtained from soil samples of mining area in the presence of PAH as sole sources of carbon and energy. Strain AJH1was able to degrade low (anthracene, phenanthrene, naphthalene, fluorene) and high (pyrene, benzo(e)pyrene and benzo(k)fluoranthene) molecular weight PAHs in acidophilic mineral salt medium at pH 2, with removal rates of up to 95% (LMW PAH) and 80% (HMW PAH), respectively. In addition, strain AJH1 treated petroleum wastewater with 89 ± 1.1% COD removal under acidic condition (pH 2) in a continuously stirred reactor. Acidophilic S. maltophilia strain AJH1, hence holds the promise as an effective degrader for biological treatment of PAHs contaminated wastewater at acidic pH.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. arulazhagan_p@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arulazhagan
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Shekri
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huda
authors.affiliation: Laboratorie de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Avenue des Etangs, 11100, Narbonne, France.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Godon
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Basahi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jeyakumar
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D020615:Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: Acidophils; Biodegradation; Continuous stirred tank reactor; Petroleum hydrocarbons; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia