Enhancement of pyrene degradation efficacy of Synechocystis sp., by construction of an artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium

This study was carried out to investigate the ability of microalgae Synechocystis sp. to high molecular weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon pyrene (PYR) and artificial microalgal–bacterial consortium at different concentrations. The consortium consisted of one axenic species Synechocystis sp. and two PYR-degrading bacteria with known complementary degradative capabilities viz. Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. The influence of PYR on growth in terms of chlorophyll-a were analysed, and it was found that in the presence of bacteria, Synechocystis sp. tremendously increased in growth as well as biodegradation capability, whereas Synechocystis sp. alone exhibited concentration-dependent decrease in growth and biodegradation ability. Degradation of PYR shows that the consortium could eliminate PYR by 94.1% at 50 mg/L; however, Synechocystis sp alone could degrade up to 36% at 1.5 mg/L after 16 days of incubation. The study revealed that microalgae grew better in the presence of the aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and provided them with necessary organics for efficient PYR degradation activities. Moreover, consortium JP-NKA7B2 grows efficiently on other xenobiotic compounds. The artificial consortia JP-NK is thus proven to be an effective and promising system for bioremediating PYR compound and could be suggested in degradation of PYR compound in hydrocarbon-polluted areas in situ and ex situ. *Corresponding author: J.I. Nirmal Kumar, P.G. Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Institute of Science and Technology for Advanced Studies and Research, Vallabh Vidya Nagar 388 120, Gujarat, India E-mail: [email protected]