Biodegradation Of Bisphenol Research Articles

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by a Pichia pastoris whole-cell biocatalyst with overexpression of laccase from Bacillus pumilus and investigation of its potential degradation pathways

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupter with estrogen activity, can infiltrate animal and human bodies through the food chain. Enzymatic degradation of BPA holds promise as an environmentally friendly approach while it is limited due to lower stability and recycling challenges. In this study, laccase from Bacillus pumilus TCCC 11568 was expressed in Pichia pastoris (fLAC). The optimal catalytic conditions for fLAC were at pH 6.0 and 80 °C, with a half-life T1/2 of 120 min at 70 °C. fLAC achieved a 46 % degradation rate of BPA, and possible degradation pathways were proposed based on identified products and reported intermediates of BPA degradation. To improve its stability and degradation capacity, a whole-cell biocatalyst (WCB) was developed by displaying LAC (dLAC) on the surface of P. pastoris GS115. The functionally displayed LAC demonstrated enhanced thermostability and pH stability along with an improved BPA degradation ability, achieving a 91 % degradation rate. Additionally, dLAC maintained a degradation rate of over 50 % after the fourth successive cycles. This work provides a powerful catalyst for degrading BPA, which might decontaminate endocrine disruptor-contaminated water through nine possible pathways.

Role of Fungi in Biodegradation of Bisphenol A: A Review

Bisphenol A (BPA) is recognized as an endocrine disruptor, capable of interfering with the normal functioning of hormones within the body by mimicking the effects of estrogen. Drinking water is one of the most common pathways of exposure to BPA as it can permeate plastic products and other materials, entering water sources. This article presents a comprehensive overview of BPA, including its incidence, origins, environmental fate, its impact on human health, and the role of fungi in the biodegradation of BPA. Fungi are natural decomposers, capable of breaking down organic compounds, including BPA, under suitable conditions. Studies have demonstrated that specific species of fungi can effectively biodegrade BPA. Some fungi utilize ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccases and peroxidases, to break down the phenolic rings of BPA. Other fungi employ non-ligninolytic enzymes, such as esterases and hydrolases, to cleave the ester linkages in BPA. Furthermore, some fungi can break down BPA via cometabolic pathways, whereby the chemical is degraded as a side reaction to the degradation of another substrate. The use of immobilized enzymes for BPA degradation has also demonstrated potential. Immobilized enzymes are those that are attached to a solid support, such as a polymer or matrix, allowing them to be used multiple times and enhance their stability and catalytic activity

Tramates trogii biomass in carboxymethylcellulose-lignin composite beads for adsorption and biodegradation of bisphenol A.

Tramates trogii biomass was immobilized in carboxymethyl cellulose-lignin composite beads via cross-linking with Fe(III) ions (i.e., Fe(III)-CMC@Lig(1-4)@FB). The composite beads formulations were used for the adsorption and degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) using the free fungal biomass as a control system. The maximum adsorption capacity of the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB for BPA was found to be 57.8 and 95.6, mg/g, respectively. The degradation rates of BPA were found to be 87.8 and 89.6% for the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB for 72h in a batch reactor, respectively. Adsorption of BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB fungal preparations described by the Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The values of Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG°) were - 20.7 and - 25.8kJ/mol at 298K for BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB beads, respectively. Moreover, the toxicities of the BPA and degradation products were evaluated with three different test organisms: (i) a freshwater micro-crustacean (Daphnia magna), (ii) a freshwater algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardti), and (iii) a Turkish winter wheat seed (Triticum aestivum L.). After treatment with the Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB formulation, the degradation products had not any significant toxic effect compared to pure BPA. This work shows that the prepared composite bioactive system had a high potential for degradation of BPA from an aqueous medium without producing toxic end-products. Thus, it could be a good candidate for environmentally safe biological methods.

The influence of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of bisphenol A in the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Bisphenol A (BPA) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics have attracted much attention because they are widely distributed in the environment, while their combined toxicity to aquatic organisms has rarely been studied. Therefore, this study explored the impact of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of BPA to the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The results indicated that during the 16 days culture, PS (5 mg/L) increased the growth inhibition of BPA (1 mg/L and 10 mg/L) on C. pyrenoidosa compared to without PS. Similarly, PS (5 mg/L and 100 mg/L) also increased the degradation efficiency of BPA (1 mg/L and 10 mg/L) by algae. However, the changes of the chlorophyll content and the Fv/Fm value were opposite due to the hermetic and shading effect. Moreover, this study also found that five intermediates were formed during BPA degradation process because of the presence of oxidoreductase and glycosyltransferase. The results of the study provided vital information on the effect of PS on the toxicity and biodegradation of BPA to microalgal.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by alginate immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium beads: Continuous cyclic treatment and degradation pathway analysis

The wide application of biodegradation technology makes it particularly significant to use immobilized microorganisms to achieve continuous degradation of pollutants. In this study, the performance of Ca-alginate (CA) immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium beads in a consecutive biocycle treatment of bisphenol A (BPA) effluent was researched. The effects of initial BPA concentration, biomass dosage, pH and curing time were investigated. Results showed that CA-immobilized P. chrysosporium can be successive cycle at least 9 times (12 h each), and each time the removal efficiency of BPA reached 100%. The degradation process of BPA in the treatment process was investigated. According to the analyses of glucose, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, extracellular proteins and biomass, it was found that consumed carbon and nitrogen sources were used for the rapid growth of fungal hyphae and the synthesis of a series of proteins. These extracellular proteins can be utilized as a nitrogen source by P. chrysosporium, and played a key role in the removal of BPA. Biodegradation process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Moreover, intermediates in the BPA degradation process were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and three possible degradation pathways were proposed. This strategy presented in the study provides a convenient and efficient biological method for the continuous treatment of BPA effluent.

A novel acid-stable intracellular laccase from Aureobasidium pullulans: Purification, characterization and application in the removal of Bisphenol A from solutions

A purified thermostable intracellular laccase obtained from the mycelia of Aureobasidium pullulans ( iLAp ) was deployed in the biodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting compound. iLAp , a 61 kDa monomeric protein, has an of optimal pH and temperature of 3.0, and 50 °C respectively with 2, 2-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] (ABTS) as substrate. iLAp was stable at these optimum pH and temperature for 6 and 8 h respectively retaining about 79 and 80% activity respectively. The k m ( 90.7 μ M ) , k c a t ( 35.7 s − 1 ) and k c a t k m ( 0.39 μ M − 1 s − 1 ) values obtained for iLAp, indicated it was more specific for ABTS than pyrogallol, guaiacol, and catechol. iLAp was stable in 10%v/v DMSO, methanol, and DMF. Metals such as Cu 2+ , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ enhanced laccase activity. Thioglycolic acid, dithiothreitol, sodium azide, and SDS strongly inhibited the laccase activity. The values of the kinetic/thermodynamic parameters obtained for iLAp such as: D-value (7302 and 2865 min), t 1 / 2 ( 2198 a n d 862 m i n ) Δ H d ( 67.5 a n d 67.4 k J m o l ) , Δ S d ( − [ 89.4 a n d 89.1 ] J / m o l / K ) and Δ G d ( 94.6 a n d 95.3 k J m o l ) indicated resistance to thermal inactivation at 40–50 °C respectively. iLAp was able to biodegrade BPA and the biodegradation efficiency significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the presence of ABTS as a mediator. From the GI values, the iLAp -treated BPA showed mild/no phytotoxicity towards Sorghum bicolor. • Presence of an intracellular, acid-stable laccase A. pullulans . • Laccase was stable against 10% water-miscible organic solvents. • The purified laccase was stable against heat inactivation at 40-50 °C. • Laccase removed BPA from solutions. • Laccase-treated BPA solutions showed no phytotoxicity towards S. bicolor seeds.

2,2-Bis(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-Propanol-A Persistent Product of Bisphenol A Bio-Oxidation in Fortified Environmental Water, as Identified by HPLC/UV/ESI-MS.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A in the environmental waters (lake, river, and sea) has been studied on the base of fortification of the samples taken and the biodegradation products have been analyzed using HPLC/UV/ESI-MS. Analysis of the characteristic fragmentation patterns of [M-H]− ions permitted unambiguous identification of the biodegradation products as 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol or as p-hydroxyacetophenone, depending on the type of surface water source. The formation of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol was much more common than that of p-hydroxyacetophenone. Moreover, 2,2-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol has not been further biodegraded, in contrast to the p-hydroxyacetophenone, which was further mineralized. It has been proved, for the first time, that 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol can be regarded as persistent product of bisphenol A biodegradation in the fortified environmental waters.

Biodegradation of Bisphenol A by Sphingobium sp. YC-JY1 and the Essential Role of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread pollutant threatening the ecosystem and human health. An effective BPA degrader YC-JY1 was isolated and identified as Sphingobium sp. The optimal temperature and pH for the degradation of BPA by strain YC-JY1 were 30 °C and 6.5, respectively. The biodegradation pathway was proposed based on the identification of the metabolites. The addition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole significantly decreased the degradation of BPA by Sphingobium sp. YC-JY1. Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells harboring pET28a-bisdAB achieved the ability to degrade BPA. The bisdB gene knockout strain YC-JY1ΔbisdB was unable to degrade BPA indicating that P450bisdB was an essential initiator of BPA metabolism in strain YC-JY1. For BPA polluted soil remediation, strain YC-JY1 considerably stimulated biodegradation of BPA associated with the soil microbial community. These results point out that strain YC-JY1 is a promising microbe for BPA removal and possesses great application potential.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by the immobilized laccase on some synthesized and modified forms of zeolite Y

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental pollutant with adverse effects on different ecosystems. In this study, immobilized laccase enzymes onto inorganic supports were used to remove BPA. Laccase was successfully immobilized on sodium zeolite Y (NaY) and its modified desilicated (DSY) and dealuminated (DAY) forms. NaY-based supports were instrumentally characterized. The immobilized laccase on NaY (laccase@NaY), desilicated (laccase@DSY), and dealuminated (laccase@DAY) forms showed significant improvement on immobilization yield (IY%) and efficiency (IE%). Laccase@DSY and laccase@NaY showed IY% = 73.18 ± 3.33 % and 46.23 ± 1.81 % and IE% = 94.50 ± 1.86 %, and 74.39 ± 1.41 %, respectively, whereas IY% and IE% for laccase@DAY were achieved as 81.12 ± 1.32 % and 98.56 ± 2.93 %, respectively. The supports also increased the enzyme characteristics such as pH-temperature range, catalytic stability, and reusability. Km values were 0.73 ± 0.05, 0.26 ± 0.09, 0.31 ± 0.5, and 1.01 ± 0.03 mM for laccase@NaY, laccase@DAY, laccase@DSY, and the free enzyme, respectively. The enzyme demonstrated higher biodegradation ability of bisphenol A upon immobilization on the supports compared to that of the soluble enzyme. A bio-removal yield of 86.7 % was obtained considering three parameters including amount of laccase@DAY (8 U mg–1), concentration of BPA (0.5 mM), and treatment time (1 h) based on response surface methodology (RSM). Biodegradation metabolites (49 ± 5.8 %) and unconverted BPA (14 ± 5.2 %) were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by bacterial consortia isolated directly from river sediments

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC) of emerging concern because of its capability to mimic hormonal functions causing adverse health effects in human and aquatic life. Due to its ubiquitous presence in air, water, and soil, the removal of BPA from the environment has become a pressing issue. This study investigated promising microbial systems to remove BPA using three bacterial strains (HAWD1, HAWD2, and HAWD3) and a bacterial consortium (BCC1) isolated directly from the sediment of the Rio Grande River. In the culture media spiked with BPA as the sole carbon source, the growth of the bacteria, biodegradation kinetics, formation of metabolites, and BPA removal capacity were studied. Three out of six bacterial strains isolated showed an increasing growth in the BPA spiked medium using BPA as their carbon source. The consortium BCC1 of the three strains (HAWD1, HAWD2, and HAWD3) had the highest degree of BPA removal capacity (100%) within 72 h after incubation followed by HAWD1 (95%), HAWD2 (91%), and HAWD 3 (89%). Notably, the consortium had the fastest BPA removal rate and could transform BPA completely to its metabolites in 72 h of incubation. All biodegradation most like followed zero order reaction under the experimental condition. The results demonstrated the BPA degradation ability of a novel microbial system and revealed that microbial diversity could play an important role in BPA and other EDCs decomposition in the environment.

A study on the toxicity analysis and biodegradation of bisphenol A with the help of bacterial and fungal species

Discarding of plastic is one of the acute predicaments confronted in the environment today, cause majority of plastics are resistant to bio degradation. In biosphere, some microorganisms are available which got the potential to atrophy large variety types of plastic under suitable conditions, but due to the intricate composition of these polymers along with their hydrophobic nature, biological decomposition is a time consuming process. This problem can be mitigated by the inception of polymers and its derivatives from biological origins or by the production of large number of plastic degrading microbes. Some microbial stains mainly bacteria which got the ability to produce and store biopolymers under a defined environmental conditions and utilizing these as carbon sources and produces biomaterials like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or biological polyester. Thus they are innocuous by not producing toxic by-products and can be degraded easily by microorganisms. In this study, we have discussed the toxicity of Bisphenol A, a potent compound of plastic and also its biodegradation pathways.

Biodegradation of Bisphenol A by a Newly Isolated Bacillus megaterium Strain ISO-2 from a Polycarbonate Industrial Wastewater

A novel bacterium, Bacillus megaterium strain ISO-2, capable of the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA), was isolated from wastewater collected from a polycarbonate industry. The bacterium, which was grown on mineral salts medium supplemented with yeast extract, exhibited complete BPA removal from 5 mg L−1 BPA within 72 h. BPA-degrading ability and bacterial growth, however, were inhibited at higher BPA concentrations. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis revealed several intermediates during the BPA degradation process by B. megaterium strain ISO-2. These intermediates were identified as 4-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)phenol, 4-isopropylphenol, 4-isopropenylphenol, benzoic acid, butanoic acid, propanoic acid, benzeneacetic acid, phenylethyl alcohol, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, and phenolic compounds. The possible degradation pathway of BPA was proposed. In addition, strain ISO-2 effectively removed BPA present in the wastewater and could also tolerate high total dissolved solids (TDS) and an alkaline environment. The results indicate that B. megaterium strain ISO-2 is a very effective bacterium for BPA removal from industrial or contaminated wastewaters.

Bio-degradation of Bisphenol A by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAb1 isolated from effluent of thermal paper industry: Kinetic modeling and process optimization

A bacterium isolated from effluent of thermal paper industry and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAb1) based on 16SrRNA gene sequence analysis which could grow on basal mineral salt medium upon bisphenol A, which functions as an exclusive carbon source. Physicochemical variables of thermal paper industry effluent noted were significantly greater than the typical limit due to pollution of the acquiring water systems. The mathematic kinetic models like Monod, Moser and Tesier models were applied for batch fermentation of bisphenol A degradation in basal salt medium and the half saturation coefficient (KS) and the regression coefficient R2 using Monad, Moser and Tesier kinetic models registered as 9.947 g/L, 12.46 g/L and 14.14 g/L and 0.91, 0.94 and 0.84 respectively. Besides, the utmost specific growth rate μmax was witnessed as 0.841 h−1 for the P. aeruginosa (PAb1) regarding BPA degradation. Metabolic intermediates like phenol, acetophenone, and hydroquinone and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were also determined through the degradation process by GC-MS. The metabolic pathway of BPA degradation by the bacterial isolates was also designed in today's analysis. A probabilistic statistical model originated using Box-Behnken response surface methodology and process variables were optimized by nonlinear optimization.

A novel catalytic process for degradation of bisphenol A from aqueous solutions: A synergistic effect of nano-Fe3O4@Alg-Fe on O3/H2O2

In this study, alginate–Fe2+/Fe3+ polymer coated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Alg-Fe MNPs) with core/shell structure were synthesized by a simple oxidation–precipitation method and used as a nanocatalyst in heterogeneous catalytic ozonation process to degrade bisphenol A (BPA). The characterization studies (X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) confirmed that Fe3O4 core was coated with a layer of alginate–Fe2+/Fe3+. Elementary experiments with single processes were carried out to select the optimum values of BPA concentration, O3 flow rate, H2O2 concentration, and nano catalyst concentration as 10ppm, 0.1g/h, 30mmolL−1 and 0.7gL−1, respectively. The results showed that BPA degradation is strongly dependent on the pH, initial concentrations of the catalyst, H2O2 and O3 dosage. The degradation of BPA could be due to the presence of three hydroxyls radical productions, including O3, H2O2 and Fe on Fe3O4@Alg-Fe MNPs. In order to determine the inherent (in principle possible) biodegradability of bisphenol A, the Zahn–Wellens test was used and results showed that COD related to bisphenole A was fully eliminating over 2–3 weeks.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A and its metabolic intermediates by activated sludge: Stoichiometry and kinetics analysis

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been described as a estrogenic compound. However, it is used in the production of polycarbonate, epoxy resins and other plastics. Mixed microbial cultures, such as activated sludge, have been proposed as a feasible methodology to achieve the decontamination of wastewater containing BPA. Several studies on the biodegradation of BPA have demonstrated the presence of 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4HAP), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HB) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (A4HB) as the main metabolic intermediates. The objective of the present work was to study the kinetics and stoichiometric characteristics of the aerobic degradation of BPA and its metabolic intermediates by activated sludge. The effect of the sludge age (SA), and the concentration of each compound was analyzed. The biodegradation of the compounds was analyzed by an open respirometer. The kinetics of the biodegradation of all the tested compounds was influenced by the SA, the acclimation process, and the concentration of the tested compound. The stoichiometry of the reactions was not affected by the studied conditions. The oxidation coefficient (YO/S) was 10.0 ± 0.5, 5.2 ± 0.2, 3.7 ± 0.2, and 3.0 ± 0.1 molO2 molS−1 for BPA, 4HAP, 4HB, and 4HBA, respectively. Based on the obtained YO/S values, the aerobic biodegradation pathway of the tested compounds by BPA-acclimated activated sludge is discussed.

Biosorption and biodegradation of bisphenol A in an activated sludge system

Research on biosorption and biodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in the environment is crucial for pollutant remediation. In this study, the specific biosorption rate (qbd) and specific biodegradation rate (qbio) of BPA in an activated sludge system with different parameters such as initial BPA concentration, pH, heavy metal and other organic carbon sources were investigated. The experimental results showed that biodegradation of BPA in the concentration range of 10–100 mg/L fitted a zero-order reaction. Kinetic parameters qbd and qbio of at various pH values of 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 were 1.20, 1.10, 1.08 and 0.54, 0.57, 0.62, 0.16, 0.74 day−1, respectively. High pH greatly inhibited both biosorption and biodegradation of BPA. Kinetic parameters qbd and qbio at various concentrations of Cu2+of 0, 10 and 50 mg/L were 1.10, 1.06, 0.36 and 0.57, 0.36, 0.23 day−1, respectively. When Cu2+ = 10 mg/L, the inhibition of biodegradation was larger than biosorption. Otherwise, when Cu2+ = 50 mg/L, the inhibition of biosorption was larger than biodegradation. Meanwhile, the toxicity of Cu2+ was reduced by chelant EDTA because of less free Cu2+. Glucose significantly accelerated the degradation of BPA, while p-hydroxybenzaldehyde did not.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by an algal-bacterial system

The degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) by Chlorella sorokiniana and BPA-degrading bacteria was investigated. The results show that BPA was partially removed by a monoculture of C. sorokiniana, but the remaining BPA accounted for 50.2, 56.1, and 60.5 % of the initial BPA concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 mg L(-1), respectively. The total algal BPA adsorption and accumulation were less than 1 %. C. sorokiniana-bacterial system effectively removed BPA with photosynthetic oxygen provided by the algae irrespective of the initial BPA concentration. The growth of C. sorokiniana in the algal system was inhibited by BPA concentrations of 20 and 50 mg L(-1), but not in the algal-bacterial system. This observation indicates that bacterial growth in the algal-bacterial system reduced the BPA-inhibiting effect on algae. A total of ten BPA biodegradation intermediates were identified by GC-MS. The concentrations of the biodegradation intermediates decreased to a low level at the end of the experiment. The hypothetical carbon mass balance analysis showed that the amounts of oxygen demanded by the bacteria are insufficient for effective BPA degradation. However, adding an external carbon source could compensate for the oxygen shortage. This study demonstrates that the algal-bacterial system has the potential to remove BPA and its biodegradation intermediates.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A with diverse microorganisms from river sediment

The wide distribution of bisphenol A (BPA) in the environment is problematic because of its endocrine-disrupting characteristics and toxicity. Developing cost-effective remediation methods for wide implementation is crucial. Therefore, this study investigated the BPA biodegradation ability of various microorganisms from river sediment. An acclimated microcosm completely degraded 10mgL−1 BPA within 28h and transformed the contaminant into several metabolic intermediates. During the degradation process, the microbial compositions fluctuated and the final, predominant microorganisms were Pseudomonas knackmussii and Methylomonas clara. From the original river sediment, we isolated four distinct strains, which deplete the BPA over 7–9 days. They were all genetically similar to P. knackmussii. The degradation ability of mixed strains was higher than that of single strain but was far less than that of the microbial consortium. The novel BPA degradation ability of P. knackmussii and its role in the decomposing microcosm were first demonstrated. Our results revealed that microbial diversity plays a crucial role in pollutant decomposition.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by the newly-isolated Enterobacter gergoviae strain BYK-7 enhanced using genetic manipulation

Endogenous bacterial strains possessing a high bisphenol A (BPA)-tolerance/degradation activity were isolated from different outlets of petrochemical wastewater in Iran using the enrichment cultivation approach.

Biodegradation of bisphenol A by bacterial consortia

The effect of light on BPA degradation by an adapted bacterial consortium was investigated. BPA was completely degraded up to 50 mg l−1, and the degradation followed first-order reaction kinetics both in the light and in the dark. The degradation half-life of BPA when the consortium was grown in presence of light was 21.9, 17.2, and 12.6 h for concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 mg l−1, respectively; the degradation half-life of BPA in the dark was 13.1, 10.8, and 10.2 h for concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 mg l−1, respectively. Therefore, light inhibited BPA biodegradation. However, under both conditions, BPA was completely depleted. The bacterial consortium effectively utilised BPA as a growth substrate to sustain a cell yield of 0.95 g g−1 and 0.97 g g−1 in the light and dark, respectively. A total of ten and nine biodegradation intermediates were detected in the light and dark, respectively. Three bacterial metabolic pathways and one photodegradation pathway were proposed to explain their occurrence. This study demonstrated that bacterial consortia may assemble a wide range of catabolic pathways to allow for efficient degradation of BPA, converting BPA to principally bacterial biomass and metabolites exhibiting low or no oestrogenic activity.