Isolation and identification of phenol removing bacteria from contaminated soil of industrial effluent

The toxicity of phenol has been widely documented and their disastrous effect towards human and environment is greatly concerned. It causes negative effects to aquatic flora and fauna. The present investigation has been undertaken to isolate and identify the microbes capable of removing phenol from the effluents of Dankuni Coal Complex. Soil sample containing high phenol/phenolic compounds were collected from the effluent of Dankuni Coal Complex. The strains were isolated from these soil samples by selective enrichment culture in MS medium. The morphology and gram character of the strains were determined by gram staining and the organisms were then identified according to protocols followed by Bergey's Manual of systematic bacteriology. Two bacterial strains were isolated which could tolerate phenol of different concentrations to the extent of 1000 ppm and 3000 ppm. By performing 16s ribotyping the strains were characterized. Out of the two strains, one strain which could withstand phenol up to 3000 ppm was found to be Staphylococcus sciuri strain SCH1JF914984 and the other strain which could tolerate a phenol concentration of 1000 ppm was found to be Bacillus pumilus strain SCH2JF914985. The main significance of the study is the utilization of native bacterial strains from the industrial waste itself having potential of bioremediation.