ISSN:
1432-0703
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract In a study of the degradation of phenolic compounds in a polluted part of the St. Lawrence River with normal concentrations of phenolic compounds varying between 10 and 150 ppb, it was found that the process could mainly be attributed to the action of microorganisms. On an average, 70% of the microflora in the river water was able to tolerate phenols at a concentration of 150 ppm. The number of phenoltolerating bacteria was found to increase from a relatively unpolluted to the most polluted part of the river by approximately 40%. Thirty-three strains of phenol-utilizing bacteria were isolated of which 31 were tentatively identified. Most of the strains belonged to the genera ofAchromobacter, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Clostridium, Flavobacterium, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, andSarcina. After adaptation, many of these organisms could tolerate phenol concentrations as high as 2400 ppm, whereas most of them were able to decompose as many as 3 to 4 different types of phenols. The phenol decomposing microflora was subjected to seasonal fluctuations with regard to its composition, the tolerance of its members to different phenols and the temperature of optimum growth.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02097785
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