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Degradation of 3-chlorobenzoate and phenol singly and in mixture by a mixed culture of two ortho-pathway-following Pseudomonas strains

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

The compatibility and efficiency of two ortho-cleavage pathway-following pseudomonads viz. the 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CBA)-degrader, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3mT (3mT) and the phenol-degrader, P. stutzeri SPC-2 (SPC-2) in a mixed culture for the degradation of these substrates singly and simultaneously in mixtures was studied. Another phenol-degrading strain, Pseudomonas sp. SoPC-5 (SoPC-5) that utilizes a meta-cleavage mode also was tried in co-culture with 3mT. The former combination was found to be a better degrader of both the substrates when present alone. But, with inoculum levels of 0.15 mg cell dry wt each of 3mT/SPC-2 or 3mT/SoPC-5 growth with 2 mM each of 3-CBA and phenol was slow with a lag of 24 h and degradation being incomplete. However, with higher inocula in the ratios 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1, i.e., 0.3 + 0.3, 0.3 + 0.6, and 0.6 + 0.3 mg cell dry wt of 3mT and SPC-2, respectively complete degradation of both the substrates occurred. Degradation of 3-CBA was complete with the release of stoichiometric amounts of chloride (Cl−) when concentrations of phenol/3-CBA were varied as 2:2, 2:4, and 4:2 mM, i.e., even when the concentration of the more toxic co-substrate 3-CBA was higher than phenol effective simultaneous degradation occurred at the inoculums ratio of 1:1 (0.3 mg dry cell wt. of each strain). These studies clearly indicated the better suitability of ortho-cleavage-utilizing strains as partners in a mixed culture than those follow different modes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Director, CFTRI, Mysore, India for the facilities provided and for the permission to publish the data.

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Author notes

  1. V. P. Jayachandran

    Present address: Department of Plant Biotechnology, Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Thiruvalla, 689 101, Kerala, India

  2. A. A. M. Kunhi

    Present address: Central Food Laboratory, Department of Preventive Health, National Health Authority, Doha, Qatar

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Microbiology, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, 570 013, Karnataka, India

    V. P. Jayachandran & A. A. M. Kunhi

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Correspondence to A. A. M. Kunhi.

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Jayachandran, V.P., Kunhi, A.A.M. Degradation of 3-chlorobenzoate and phenol singly and in mixture by a mixed culture of two ortho-pathway-following Pseudomonas strains. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 36, 219–227 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-008-0488-5

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