Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

Phenol is one of the most widely distributed environmental pollutants which can be found in wastewaters and industrial effluents. Due to its toxicity and resistance to self-degradation, it could become even lethal for humans and animals. The treatment of this toxic compound is focused on psychical–chemical methods, although biological treatment of phenol is preferable for economic aspects related to relatively low cost of mineralization process and rare possibility of toxic secondary metabolites production. The aim of this study is to isolate yeasts from peat bog with potential for biodegradation of phenol at wide spectrum of con- centration. Isolated strains can be valuable for wastewater or soil treatments in temperate climate. In the proposed study 39 strains of yeast were isolated from soil and water samples collected from Rucianka raised bog. A prelim- inary test for screening of yeast capable of phenol biodegradation was performed on YNB slants with phenol concentration gradient. In the next step, strains were cultivated in MSM mineral medium with phenol at concentration 500–2000 mg/l, as a sole source of carbon, along with monitoring of OD 600 and phenol concentration by means of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). All strains were cultivated under 18 ◦ C. The studies revealed that three strains exhibited an effective degradation of phenol at 500 mg/l and 750 mg/l concentration. Two strains were able to degradation of phenol at 1000 mg/l concen- tration. In all experiments, complete degradation of phenol was possible in less than 2 days.

Authors

• Natalia Filipowicz link open in new tab ,
• Malwina Momotko link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Hubert Cieśliński link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Grzegorz Boczkaj link open in new tab ,
• Ewelina Krajewska link open in new tab ,
• Monika Wicka-Grochocka link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Marta Wanarska link open in new tab ,
• prof. dr hab. Józef Kur link open in new tab