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Potential of a new biotreatment: Sphingomonas cloacae S-3T degrades nonylphenol in industrial wastewater

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract.

Sphingomonas cloacae S-3T, a nonylphenol (NP)-degrading bacterium, was evaluated for its utility in the remediation of NP-contaminated wastewater. In flask-scale experiments, S-3T cells immobilized on porous polypropylene carriers (beads) efficiently degraded NP to concentrations routinely measured in aquatic environments [a few parts per billion (ppb), or micrograms per liter). Therefore, we constructed and evaluated a laboratory-scale wastewater treatment system with a 3-l carrier-filled column. The system worked properly and consistently removed several hundred ppb of NP to ecologically safe concentrations of less than 10 ppb in industrial wastewater without the addition of nutrients. The effect of wastewater pH on the system performance was also evaluated; and wastewater samples with pH values of 6 or 8 were treated efficiently without pH adjustment. These results suggest that a biotreatment system using NP-degrading bacteria can efficiently remediate industrial wastewater and contribute to the preservation of aquatic environments.

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Acknowledgment.

We thank Mr. Tsuyoshi Sasai for his technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Muroran Institute of Technology, Mizumoto, Muroran, 050-8585, Hokkaido, Japan

    Katsuhiko Fujii, Takayoshi Hirakawa & Shintaro Kikuchi

  2. Technical Research Laboratory, Kurabo Industries, Neyagawa, 572-0823, Osaka, Japan

    Ryohei Yamamoto & Tadaharu Tanaka

Authors
  1. Katsuhiko Fujii
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  2. Ryohei Yamamoto
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  3. Tadaharu Tanaka
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  4. Takayoshi Hirakawa
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  5. Shintaro Kikuchi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katsuhiko Fujii.

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Fujii, K., Yamamoto, R., Tanaka, T. et al. Potential of a new biotreatment: Sphingomonas cloacae S-3T degrades nonylphenol in industrial wastewater. J IND MICROBIOL BIOTECHNOL 30, 531–535 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0072-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0072-y

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