Abstract
Biodegradation of phenol and m-cresol using a pure culture of Candida tropicalis was studied. The results showed that C. tropicalis could degrade 2000 mg l −1 phenol alone and 280 mg l −1 m-cresol alone within 66 and 52 h, respectively. The capacity of the strain to degrade phenol was obviously higher than that to degrade m-cresol. The presence of m-cresol intensely inhibited phenol biodegradation. Only 1000 mg l −1 phenol can be completely degraded in the presence of 280 mg l −1 m-cresol. On the contrary, the phenol of low concentration from 100 to 500 mg l −1 supplied a sole carbon and energy source for C. tropicalis in the initial phase of biodegradation and accelerated the assimilation of m-cresol, resulting in the fact that m-cresol biodegradation velocity was higher than that without phenol. Besides, the capacity of C. tropicalis for m-cresol biodegradation was increased up to 320 mg l −1 with the presence of 60–100 mg l −1 phenol. In addition, the intrinsic kinetics of cell growth and substrate degradation were investigated with phenol and m-cresol as single and mixed substrates in batch cultures. The results illustrated that the models proposed adequately described the dynamic behaviors of biodegradation by C. tropicalis.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have