Evaluation of bioremediation and detoxification potentiality for papermaking black liquor by a new isolated thermophilic and alkali-tolerant Serratia sp. AXJ-M

There is a great need for efficiently treating papermaking black liquor because it can seriously pollute both soil and water ecosystems. In this study, the Plackett-Burman (PB) experimental design combined with response surface methodology (RSM) was used for improving the biodegradation efficiency of lignin by a new isolated thermophilic and alkali-tolerant strain Serratia sp. AXJ-M, and the results showed that a biodegradation efficiency of 70.5% was achieved under optimal culture conditions. The bacterium with ligninolytic activities significantly decreased target the parameters (color 80%, lignin 60%, phenol 95%, BOD 80% and COD 80%). The control and treated samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), which showed that the concentrations of a majority of low-molecular-weight compounds were decreased after biological treatment. Furthermore, toxicological, genotoxicity and phytotoxicity studies have supported the detoxification by the bacterium of black liquor. Finally, the genome sequence of the thermophilic, alkali-tolerant and lignin degrading bacterium AXJ-M was completed, and the genetic basis of the thermophilic and alkali-resistant properties of AXJ-M was preliminarily revealed. The dyp-type peroxidase was first reported to have the potential to catalyze lignin degradation structurally. These findings suggest that Serratia sp. AXJ-M may be potentially useful for bioremediation applications for papermaking black liquor.