Use of the Phenol-Degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain 21SG for Industrial Wastewater Decontamination

Abstract

The features of a phenol-degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 21SG isolated from the soil at the territory of Russia’s largest manufacturing facility for synthetic tanning agents (city of Ufa, Bashkortostan Republic) are reported. The strain identification was based on cultural, morphological, physiological, biochemical, and morphometric features and on the results of comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. The growth of P. aeruginosa 21SG was assessed in batch culture, and a decrease of phenol content in the culture liquid by 84% of the control level after 4 days was observed. The possibility of using P. aeruginosa 21SG for the destruction of phenol present in wastewater from the petrochemical industry and tanning extract production facilities was detected.