Pentachlorophenol remediation by Enterobacter sp. SG1 isolated from industrial dump site

Abstract

Chlorophenols contamination is serious concern to the environment due toxicity to all forms of life. Among all the chlorophenols, pentachlorophenol (PCP) is more detrimental to the environment. Pentachlorophenol used as pesticide, herbicide, antifungal agent and wood preservative which causes environmental pollution. In the present research a PCP degrading bacterium was isolated and characterized from industrial dump site. This isolate used PCP as its sole source of carbon and energy and was capable of degrading this compound, as indicated by stoichiometric release of chloride, ring cleavage activity and biomass formation. Based on morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis this strain was identified as Enterobacter sp. SG1. Gas Chromatography (GC) analysis revealed that this strain was able to degrade PCP up to a concentration of 2 mM. This study showed that the removal efficiency of PCP by SG1 was found to be very effective and can be used in degradation of PCP contaminated site or waste in the environment.