Accelerated biodegradation of BPA in water-sediment microcosms with Bacillus sp. GZB and the associated bacterial...

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical primarily used to produce polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Significant industrial and consumer's consumption of BPA-containing products has contributed to extensive contamination in different environmental matrices. In this study, microcosms bioaugmented with Bacillus sp. GZB were constructed to investigate BPA biodegradation, identify the main bacterial community, and evaluate bacterial community responses in the microcosms. Under aerobic conditions, BPA was quickly depleted as a result of bioaugmentation with Bacillus sp. GZB in water-sediment contaminated with pollutants. The pollutants used were generally associated with the electronic wastes (mobile phones, computers, televisions) dismantling process. Adding BPA affected the bacterial community composition in the water-sediment. Furthermore, BPA biodegradation was enhanced by adding electron donors/co-substrates: humic acid, NaCl, glucose, and yeast extract. Metagenomic analysis of the total 16S rRNA genes from the BPA-degrading microcosms with bioaugmentation illustrated that the genera Bacillus, Thiobacillus, Phenylobacterium, and Cloacibacterium were dominant after a 7-week incubation period. A consortium of microorganisms from different bacterial genera may be involved in BPA biodegradation in electronic waste contaminated water-sediment. This study provides new insights about BPA bioaugmentation and bacterial ecology in the BPA-degrading environment.