Sei sulla pagina 1di 2

Biodegradation of Phenol using a Microbial Biofilm of

Pseudomonas alcaligenes

Background

Phenol is one of the most common environmental pollutants in wastewaters


from different industries. Its toxicity may greatly affect the people surrounding a
particular plant if not handled properly. The preferred way of removing this
chemical from contaminated areas is through biological treatment. Studies showed
that certain bacteria, fungi and yeast can be used for this biological treatment.

However, at high concentrations phenol inhibits microbial growth.


Immobilization of microorganisms and microbial biofilm formation on solid support
can protect microorganisms from being damaged and maintain continuous cell
growth and biodegradation. Hence, a microbial biofilm of Pseudomonas alcaligenes
will be used for better results.

The microbial extracellular polysaccharides build up the biofilm matrix that


can serve as protective barrier in which immediate direct contact between the
highly toxic organic compound and the cells is minimized.

Eliminating phenol, which is one of the wastes generated by different


chemical industries, would give a clearer and healthier environment to us. It would
be of great help to the wastewater treatment facilities to emit this particular
chemical efficiently without using another chemical.

Related Literature

Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is a toxic, white with a slightly pink tinge,
crystalline solid. Its chemical formula is C6H5OH and its structure is that of a
hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a phenyl ring, making it an aromatic compound.

Phenol and its vapor are corrosive to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory
tract. Repeated or prolonged skin contact with phenol may cause dermatitis, or
even second and third-degree burns due to phenol's caustic and defatting
properties. Inhalation of phenol vapor may cause lung edema. The substance may
cause harmful effects on the central nervous system and heart, resulting in
dysrhythmia, seizures, and coma. The kidneys may be affected as well. Exposure
may result in death and the effects may be delayed. Long-term or repeated
exposure of the substance may have harmful effects on the liver and kidneys." The
substance is a suspected carcinogen. Besides its hydrophobic effects, another
mechanism for the toxicity of phenol may be the formation of phenoxyl radicals.

The microbial degradation of phenols has been reviewed including the


phenol-degrading microbes, factors affecting degradability, and the use of
biotechnology with emphasis on degradation mechanisms and their kinetics. The
mechanism of microbial degradation depends on aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Under aerobic conditions, degradation of phenol was shown to be initiated by
oxygenation into catechols as intermediates followed by a ring cleavage at either
the ortho or meta position, depending on the type of strain. Anaerobic
biodegradation of phenol occurs by carboxylation followed by dehydroxylation
(reducing reaction) and dearomatisation. It was also clear that the parameters used
in the Haldane model are not constants but vary, hence it may never be possible to
describe the kinetic properties of a microbial cell with a single set of constants.

Pseudomonas alcaligenes is a Gram-negative aerobic bacterium used as a


soil inoculant for bioremediation purposes, as it can degrade polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons. It can be a human pathogen but occurrences are very rare. Based on
16S rRNA analysis, P. alcaligenes has been placed in the P. aeruginosa group.

Since the phenol is an aromatic compound, thus, the Pseudomonas


alcaligenes might help in faster biodegradability of it that may contribute to the
environment in eliminating hazards. This bacteria will undergo formation of biofilms
for better degradation.

Biofilms can be defined as communities of microorganisms attached to a


surface. It is clear that microorganisms undergo profound changes during their
transition from planktonic (free-swimming) organisms to cells that are part of a
complex, surface-attached community.

Furthermore, these microbial communities are often composed of multiple


species that interact with each other and their environment. The determination of
biofilm architecture, particularly the spatial arrangement of microcolonies (clusters
of cells) relative to one another, has profound implications for the function of these
complex communities. Numerous new experimental approaches and methodologies
have been developed in order to explore metabolic interactions, phylogenetic
groupings, and competition among members of the biofilm.

As with many other bacterial species, the most commonly used method to
assess staphylococcal biofilm formation in vitro is the microtiter plate assay. This
assay is particularly useful for comparison of multiple strains including large-scale
screens of mutant libraries.

Potrebbero piacerti anche