Isolation of sodium dodecyl sulfate degrading strains from a detergent polluted pond situated in Varanasi city, India

Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) is one of the most widely used anionic detergent in households and in industry. After use it is discharged in large amounts in water systems like ponds and rivers etc. It is now well established that SDS is toxic to the health and survival of aquatic organisms. So, in the present study, we have made an attempt to isolate and identify SDS degrading bacteria from detergent contaminated ponds situated in Varanasi city, India. Using enrichment technique in minimal medium containing SDS as a sole carbon source, initially six SDS degrading isolates where recovered. However, only two isolates where found to be efficient degraders of SDS. These isolates where identified as P. alcaligenes and P. mendocina respectively. These isolates can be exploited for bioremediation of this detergent from water systems.