Abstract
Pseudomonas putida E41 was isolated from oil-contaminated soil and showed its ability to grow on ethylbenzene
as the sole carbon and energy source. Moreover, P. putida E41 show the activity of biodegradation
of ethylbenzene in the batch culture. E41 showed high efficiency of biodegradation of ethylbenzene with
the optimum conditions (a cell concentration of 0.1 g wet cell weight/L, pH 7.0, 25°C, and ethylbenzene
concentration of 50 mg/L) from the results of the batch culture. The maximum degradation rate and specific
growth rate (μmax) under the optimum conditions were 0.19±0.03 mg/mg-DCW (Dry Cell Weight)/h and
0.87±0.13 h-1, respectively. Benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene were degraded when these compounds were
provided together; however, xylene isomers persisted during degradation by P. putida E41. When using
a bioreactor batch system with a binary culture with P. putida BJ10, which was isolated previously in
our lab, the degradation rate for benzene and toluene was improved in BTE mixed medium (each initial
concentration: 50 mg/L). Almost all of the BTE was degraded within 4 h and 70-80% of m-, p-, and o-xylenes
within 11 h in a BTEX mixture (initial concentration: 50 mg/L each). In summary, we found a valuable
new strain of P. putida, determined the optimal degradation conditions for this isolate and tested a mixed
culture of E41 and BJ10 for its ability to degrade a common sample of mixed contaminants containing
benzene, toluene, and xylene.
Citations
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