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Isolation and
characterization of synthetic detergent-degraders from
wastewater
Olusola Abayomi Ojo1* and
Benjamin A. Oso2
1Department
of Microbiology, Lagos State University, Badagry
Expressway, P. O. Box 12142, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
2Department
of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
solayom@yahoo.com.
Tel: 234 –8055055478.
Accepted
18 July, 2008 |
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The biodegradability of the principal component of synthetic
detergent products known as linear alkylbenzene sulphonate
(LAS) has been contentious, hence the need to evaluate its
primary biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms in
wastewater ecosystem. The native microbial consortium of a
wastewater ecosystem found to utilize detergent components
were characterized using standard and conventional methods.
The organisms identified were Enterococcus majodoratus,
Klebsiella liquefasciens, Enterobacter liquefasciens,
Klebsiella aerogenes, Escherichia coli,
Enterobacter agglomerans, Staphylococcus albus,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus sp.,
Klebsiella oxytoca, Brevibacterium sp.,
Myceliophthora thermophila, Geomyces sp.,
Alternaria alternata, Verticillium alboatrum,
Aspergillus flavus, Trichoderma sp. and
Aspergillus oryzae. Alkaline pH and mesophilic
temperature range (33.9 – 34.3oC) was found to be
supportive of the metabolic activities of the
detergent-degraders in the tropical wastewater ecosystem.
The bacterial detergent-degraders were more of gram-negative
than gram-positive. Fungal detergent-degrader activities
were abruptly terminated as the pH shifted to the alkaline
range probably due to production of alkaline intermediates.
The biodegradation of the synthetic detergent components
that occurs in wastewaters, sewage treatment plants and in
the ultimate open-water receiving ecosystems is primarily
the result of microbial activities.
Key
words:
Biodegradation, detergents, linear alkylbenzene sulphonate,
microorganisms. |
