Anthracene biotransformation using bacterial concoction of Enterobacter ludwigii strain GRAS-01 and Pantoea agglomerans strain GRAS-02

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present work reports for the first time to utilise the indigenously dwelling bacterial co-cultures identified as Enterobacter ludwigii strain GRAS-01 and Pantoea agglomerans strain GRAS-02 to biotransform anthracene. The efficacy of pure bacterial strains as well as their cocktail was tested individually for 50 mg/L anthracene biotransformation. E. ludwigii strain GRAS-01 and P. agglomerans GRAS-02 exerted 72 and 69% removal of anthracene when inoculated in Bushnell-Haas medium, while their co-cultures showed 75% removal explaining the synergistic effect of the strains. The activities of manganese peroxidase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase also suggests that the strains were complementary rather than competitive. The inducible enzymes were responsible for anthracene biotransformation, which was supported by the spectral and chromatographic analyses. The results reveal that the degradation was better in the systems treated with the bacterial consortia. The plant growth assessors explained the detoxified nature of the biotransformed products.