Characterization of immobilized denitrifying bacteria isolated from municipal sewage

As a component for a recirculating aquaculture system, a new strain of denitrifying bacterium was isolated from municipal sewage. The isolate was motile by means of one polar flagellum, catalase-positive, and a Gram-negative rod-shaped cell measuring 0.5-0.6 mum in width and 1.3-1.9 mum in length. The isolate was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens and produced dinitrogen gas via the reduction of nitrate. The optimal growth conditions (pH, temperature, carbon source, and C/N ratio) of the isolate were found to be 6.8, 30 degreesC, malate, and 3, respectively. Under optimal growth conditions of P. fluorescens, dinitrogen gas was first detected in the exponential growth phase, then a small amount of nitrite was developed and converted to dinitrogen gas in the stationary phase. Pseudomonas fluorescens cells were immobilized in modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel beads, and the maximum denitrification rate was measured as 36.6 mul N-2 h(-1) per bead with an optimum cell loading of 20 mg mul(-1) and 2% sodium alginate added to the PVA gel. The operating stability of the modified PVA gel beads remained unchanged for up to 43 repeated batches.