US EPA

1509877 

Journal Article 

Isolation and Characterization of Chromium(VI)-Reducing Bacteria from Tannery Effluents 

Ilias, M; Rafiqullah, IM; Debnath, BC; Mannan, KS; Mozammel Hoq, M 

2011 

Yes 

Indian Journal of Microbiology
ISSN: 0046-8991
EISSN: 0973-7715 

51 

1 

76-81 

English 

22282632 

10.1007/s12088-011-0095-4 

Two chromium-resistant bacteria (IFR-2 and IFR-3) capable of reducing/transforming Cr(VI) to Cr(III) were isolated from tannery effluents. Isolates IFR-2 and IFR-3 were identified as Staphylococcus aureus and Pediococcus pentosaceus respectively by 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. Both isolates can grow well on 2,000 mg/l Cr(VI) (as K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium. Reduction of Cr(VI) was found to be growth-associated in both isolates and IFR-2 and IFR-3 reduced 20 mg/l Cr(VI) completely in 6 and 24 h respectively. The Cr(VI) reduction due to chromate reductase activity was detected in the culture supernatant and cell lysate but not at all in the cell extract supernatant of both isolates. Whole cells of IFR-2 and IFR-3 converted 24 and 30% of the initial Cr(VI) concentration (1 mg/l) in 45 min respectively at 37°C. NiCl(2) stimulated the growth of IFR-2 whereas HgCl(2) and CdCl(2) significantly inhibited the growth of both isolates. Optimum temperature and pH for growth of and Cr(VI) reduction by both isolates were found to be between 35 and 40°C and pH 7.0 to 8.0. The two bacterial isolates can be good candidates for detoxification of Cr(VI) in industrial effluents.