Phenol degradation by the marine bacterium microbulbifer degradans

Abstract

The marine bacterium Microbulbifer degradans (Md) was tested for its ability to mineralize or transform a simple aromatic compound (phenol) under aerobic conditions in batch culture at 30°C;. Cells were grown with phenol as the sole carbon source, and with phenol and glucose. Samples were taken and phenol concentration, optical density and dry cell weight were measured. Specific growth rates at different phenol concentrations were determined as well as average phenol uptake rates, which were calculated as total phenol consumed in a defined time period per dry cell weight. Md was able to tolerate and use phenol as the only carbon source. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the Proceedings of the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).