Characterization of Multi-Potential Toluene Metabolizing Bacteria Isolated from Tannery Effluents.

The focus of present study was to isolate and characterize toluene metabolizing bacteria and evaluate their bioremediation potential. During present study bacteria were isolated from the tannery effluents using selective enrichment and serial dilution methods. The growth behavior, toluene removal efficiencies, biochemical and molecular characteristics and antibiotic resistance profiles of isolated bacteria were documented through standard procedures. Toluene degradation was also confirmed using GC-MS and LC-MS analysis of metabolites. Present study isolates (n = 20) showed top BLAST sequence similarity with Brevibacillus agri strain NBRC 15538 (75%), Bacillus paralicheniformis strain KJ-16 (20%) and Burkholderia lata strain 383 (5%). The rRNA gene sequences have been submitted to GeneBank. All present study isolates exhibited remarkable toluene removal potential and most of these were slow-growing. Biochemical characterization indicated bacteria positive for alkaline phosphatases (100%), D-glucosaminidase (35%), naphthylaminopeptidase (15%), esculinase (65%), mannitol (75%), sorbitol (95%) and inulin (90%) fermentation. Biochemical profile suggests the use of isolated bacteria for future exploitation in several fields like toluene bioremediation, ethanol production, biomass hydrolysis, biosensors, biofertilizers, as a marker for milk pasteurization in dairy industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]