Phenol Degradation Using Microorganisms

Abstract

Pollutants have adverse effect on environment and public health. From all the above pollutants given phenol is most toxic organic compound present in environment as pollutant. EPA (1998) has declared that 11th out of 126 toxic chemicals is phenol. All the processes available for phenol degradation are not economically viable hence biodegradation is recommended since it is pollution free and also economically viable. In the below study three microorganism isolated from soil were compared for phenol degradation. The comparison was done on basis of percentage of phenol degraded, optimum temperature, optimum media PH and the inoculum age and volume. From the comparative study the best microorganism strain was found out to be PR3. This microorganism was found to be degrading maximum phenol of 76% and at temp of about 30oC and pH of around 7 with inoculum age between 20-24 hours. After characterisation this microorganism was found to be staphylococcus lentus.