Study of Growth Process and Phenol Biodegradation by a Bacterium Isolated from Wastewater (in vitro)

Phenol is a carbonic compound that is dangerous for humans at a concentration of 0.5 ppm in the environment. The best phenol removal from coal tar wastewaters is achieved by bioremediation. In this study, we isolated indigenous bacteria from phenolic wastewater and adapted it to a high concentration of phenol for its removal from wastewater. We also investigated the growth and removal curves of the bacteria in media with 2000 and 4000 ppm of phenol. It was observed that after lag phases of 24 and 48 hours, they grew and removed all of the phenol concentration over 264 and 312 hours. It was also found that this isolate was able to remove 2233 ppm of phenol in natural wastewater over a period of 120 hours. Identification tests showed that it is a gram-negative bactetium possibly belonging to the pseudomonas species. Phenol concentrations in wastewater can be reduced over a shorter period of time by using either this isolate alone or a group of them.