Adaptation of a phenol-degrading denitrifying bacteria to high concentration of phenol in the medium

The growth and uptake of phenol by 8 strains isolated from wastewater sediments in stationary cultures in medium with increasing concentrations of phenol (from 100 to 600 mg/L) under denitrifying conditions were studied. All the strains grew in media containing 250 mg phenol/L and only strains 101/1, 83/2 and 21/1/ in consecutive passages visibly increased both specific growth rate (mu day-1) as well as phenol-degrading activity (mg/L x day). Consecutive passages of the culture in medium containing 400 mg phenol/L resulted in the elimination of 3 out of the 5 strains growing in the medium in the first passage. Only strain 101/1 demonstrated high specific growth rate and phenol-degrading activity in medium containing 600 mg phenol/L. In consecutive passages in medium containing 250, 400 and 600 mg phenol/L the specific growth (mu day-1) and phenol-degrading activity (mg/L x day) of P. aeruginosa 101/1 were 0.38 and 36; 0.12 and 19; 0.09 and 20, respectively.