EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON DEGRADATION POTENTIAL OF SELECTED BACTERIAL STRAINS FROM EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT OF COIR INDUSTRY.

Phenol-degrading bacteria exist widely in the environments and they are usually isolated from phenol contaminated site. Phenol and its components are majorly toxic to the environment. It is hazardous when exposed to the organisms’ surface. The aim of the study was to isolate and identify the phenol degrading bacteria from effluent treatment plant of coir industry and to analyse the effect of temperature on the degradation potential. From the isolated bacterial strains, 5 most potent strains were selected for the study (Brucella sp, Aquaspirillum sp, Erwinia sp, Aeromonas sp and Moraxella sp). To determine the effect of temperature the experiments were carried out at different temperatures such as 27? C, 35? C and 47 ?C. The selected bacterial strains were grown in medium with different phenol concentrations (200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000ppm). The growth of bacteria and phenol concentration in the media were observed for the three selected temperatures. The decrease in phenol concentration accompanied with increase in biomass. From the preliminary analysis, the most potent strains were found to be Brucella sp and Aeromonas sp. The medium with 800ppm phenol showed better degradation for all the selected strains. At the same time when the prescribed temperature was changed, the degradation potential was reduced and was unstable.