Biodegradation of Cyanide Complex Compounds in Aqueous Media by Pseudomonas resinovorans

Abstract

Abstract Biodegradation of some complex cyanide compounds, including sodium hexacyanoferrate (II) trihydrate [Na4Fe(CN)6·3H2O], potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) decahydrate [K4Fe(CN)6·10H2O], and potassium cyano-argentate [KAg(CN)2] by free cells of Pseudomonas resinovorans strain, was investigated in aqueous suspension as a function of pH, cyanide concentration, and initial glucose concentration. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) for each cyanide compound was determined while bacterial growth, ammonia generation, and glucose utilization were monitored during the experiments. The results indicate that P. resinovorans is able to degrade both the potassium and sodium cyanide complexes by using these compounds as sources of nitrogen. However, KAg(CN)2 was observed to inhibit the growth of the bacteria. The MIC values were determined to be 25 mM (10.55 g/L) and 75 mM (36.3 g/L) for K4Fe(CN)6·3H2O and Na4Fe(CN)6·10H2O, respectively, for P. resinovorans, whereas the maximum ammonia generated during cyan...