Effect of successive adaptations on the metabolization of phenol by a consortium isolated from polluted soils of an oil field in Algeria
Abstract
A. Rezzoug*, F. Benaceur, H. Gouzi, I. Messahli, L. Rouari, L. Hamida, M. Labiodh, M. Halifa and R. Chaibi
Biological degradation of organic pollutants such as phenol is a subject of interest which affects environment; phenol is considered a danger for living organisms when it is present in the state delivered at very high concentrations. Our approach was mainly elucidated to target the degradation of high degrees of phenol by successive adaptations to low concentrations by a consortium constituted of Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Micrococcus sp. isolated from an oil field present in the region of Hassi Messaoud, Algeria. Biodegradation has been conducted out in batch mineral culture utilizing phenol as the only source of carbon and energy aerobically after adjusting the physical-chemical conditions of degradation, the consortium exhibited a significant tolerance to a variety of conditions of pH between 5 and 9 as well as a temperature tolerance between 22°C and 37°C, However, the optimum of degradation is maintained at 30°C and a pH of 7. The mixed culture showed that low phenol concentrations from 300 mg/L to 700 mg/L did not necessitate any pre-adaptation to be degraded, as well as a significant tolerance for 1000 mg/L, but the high levels of phenol required at least one pre-adaptation at low concentrations. The consortium was able to degrade 96.43 ± 4.50 (%) from 1300 mg/L of phenol in 24 H by pre-adapting sequentially to 500 mg/L, 1000 mg/L and 1200 mg/L. It should be highlighted that the direct passage through 1000 mg/L did not yield meaningful effects.