title: Improvement of simultaneous Cr(VI) and phenol removal by an immobilised bacterial consortium and characterisation of biodegradation products.
abstract: Microbial bioremediation emerged some decades ago as an eco-friendly technology to restore polluted sites. Traditionally, the search for microorganisms suitable for bioremediation has been based on the selection of isolated strains able to remove a specific type of pollutant. However, this strategy has now become obsolete, since co-pollution is a global reality. Thus, current studies attempt to find bacterial cultures capable of coping with a mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. In this sense, the bacterial consortium SFC 500-1 has demonstrated efficiency for Cr(VI) and phenol removal, both of which are found in many industrial wastewaters. In the present study, the ability of SFC 500-1 for simultaneous removal was improved through its entrapment in a Ca-alginate matrix. This strategy led to an increased removal of Cr(VI), which was partially reduced to Cr(III). Immobilised cells were able to tolerate and degrade phenol up to 1,500mg/l at high rates, forming catechol and cis,cis-muconate as oxidation intermediates. Successful removal potential through 5 cycles of reuse, as well as after long-term storage, was another important advantage of the immobilised consortium. These characteristics make SFC 500-1 an interesting system for potential application in the biotreatment of co-polluted effluents.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físico Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina. Electronic address: oontanon@exa.unrc.edu.ar.
authors.forename: Ornella M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Ontañon
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físico Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: Paola S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físico Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: Germán G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físico Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agostini
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion; D019800:Phenol
keywords: Alginate beads; Chromium(VI); Immobilisation; Phenol; Simultaneous removal