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Phenol degradation by a psychrotrophic strain of Pseudomonas putida

  • Environmental Biotechnology
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Summary

Cell growth and phenol degradation kinetics were studied at 10°C for a psychrotrophic bacterium, Pseudomonas putida Q5. The batch studies were conducted for initial phenol concentrations, So, ranging from 14 to 1000 mg/1. The experimental data for 14<=So<=200 mg/1 were fitted by non-linear regression to the integrated Haldane substrate inhibition growth rate model. The values of the kinetic parameters were found to be: μm=0.119 h−1, K S=5.27 mg/1 and K I=377 mg/1. The yield factor of dry biomass from substrate consumed was Y=0.55. Compared to mesophilic pseudomonads previously studied, the psychrotrophic strain grows on and degrades phenol at rates that are ca. 65–80% lower. However, use of the psychrotrophic microorganism may still be economically advantageous for waste-water treatment processes installed in cold climatic regions, and in cases where influent waste-water temperatures exhibit seasonal variation in the range 10–30°C.

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Abbreviations

K S :

saturation constant (mg/l)

K I :

substrate inhibition constant (mg/l)

μ:

specific growth rate (h−1)

μm :

maximum specific growth rate without substrate inhibition (h−1)

μmax :

maximum achievable specific growth rate with substrate inhibition (h−1)

S:

substrate (phenol) concentration (mg/l)

So :

initial substrate concentration (mg/l)

Smax :

substrate concentration corresponding to μmax (mg/l)

t :

time (h)

X:

cell concentration, dry basis (mg DW/l)

Xf :

final cell concentration, dry basis (mg DW/l)

Xo :

initial cell concentration, dry basis (mg DW/l)

Y:

yield factor (mg DW cell produced/mg substrate consumed)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada

    Gopaul Kotturi & Campbell W. Robinson

  2. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada

    William E. Inniss

Authors
  1. Gopaul Kotturi
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  2. Campbell W. Robinson
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  3. William E. Inniss
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Kotturi, G., Robinson, C.W. & Inniss, W.E. Phenol degradation by a psychrotrophic strain of Pseudomonas putida . Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 34, 539–543 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180585

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180585

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