Identıfıcatıon of a newly isolated p-nıtrophenol degradıng straın characterızed as rhodococcus sp. bupnp1

In an attempt to study biodegradation of p-Nitrophenol (PNP), several bacterial strains from soil of agricultural field and landfill area were isolated by enrichment culture technique. Among many isolates, one designated as BUPNP1 was identified as Rhodococcus sp., based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis along with phenotypic characteristics such as gram-staining, motility, catalase, oxidase, starch hydrolysis and sugar utilization ability. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined and it was found that 1.8mM PNP is detrimental for the strain but it can tolerate up to 1mM concentration of PNP. Spectrophotometric analysis of residual PNP during degradation showed that the strain was capable of degrading 0.5mM of PNP up to 95% within 33 h of time interval. It was found to produce 4-Nitrocatechol (4-NC) as an intermediate product during PNP degradation. Strain BUPNP1 have high potential for the purpose of bioremediation of PNP contaminated soil, wastewater and other anthropogenic habitats where PNP contamination is very common.

Biodegradation ,

p-Nitrophenol (PNP) ,

Rhodococcus sp. ,

4-Nitrocatechol (4- NC) ,

Bioremediation ,