Isolation and Characterization of Aniline-Degrading Bacteria

  • Published : 1992.06.01

Abstract

Six isolated strains degrading aniline were selected, identified and designated as pseudomonas putida K6, Pseudomonas acidovorans K82, Achromobacter gr. D. V. K24, Achromobacter xylosocidans K4, Moraxella sp. K21 and Moraxella sp. K22. All of them degraded 1000 ppm aniline completely within 30 to 36 hours. Most of these strains are resistant to antibiotics more than one, but Moraxella sp. has not any antibiotic marker tested. Most strains except for P. acidovorans K82 were shown to have resistance to the heavy metal ions such as Ni, Cu, Li, Ba, Co, etc. but not to Hg to which only P. putida K6 was resistant. M. sp. K21 was capable of degrading aniline to a maximum concentration of 2500 ppm without any repression. The incubation of the cell in limited pH ranges (4-8) had no great effect on aniline degradation. The addition of bactopeptone to the minimal media promoted the speed of aniline degradation, but the addition of glucose rather repressed the rate of aniline degradation. Through enzyme assay, A. gr. D. V. K 24 was shown to degrade aniline through artho-pathway and formed .betha.-ketoadipate as intermediate metabolite.

Keywords