Biodegradation of High Concentration of p-Nitrophenol （PNP） by Wastewater Microflora

Many nitrophenols tend to persist in the environment and they may become public health hazards. Among nitrophenols, p-nitrophenol （PNP） is a priority pollutant that has been widely used as pesticide. PNP is a toxic compound that enters the environment during manufacturing and processing of a variety of industrial products. This situation generalized its presence in multiple natural ecosystems： rivers, wastewaters, subterranean waters, soil treated by pesticides and urban atmosphere. This study aims to test the ability of wastewater microflora to degrade high concentration of PNP （500 rag/L） aerobically. An identification of the dominant microorganisms involved in the biodegradation is also carried. The cultures are performed using a minimum medium, where PNP is the sole source of carbon, energy and nitrogen. The kinetic of biodegradation is followed for more than 30 days of incubation at 30 ~C on a shaker （150 tours/min）. The obtained results show that more than 90% of PNP initial concentration is decomposed at the end of incubation. The isolation of microorganisms degrading PNP gave two bacterial colonies with different macroscopic aspects. Sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA indicated that the PNP degrading isolates were closely related to members of the species： Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus.