Photocatalytic degradation of chemical pollutants in water was investigated using semiconductor oxide catalysts, zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) and phenol as the substrate. Influence of various parameters such as characteristics of the catalyst, irradiation time, substrate and catalyst concentrations, pH etc. has been studied and optimum conditions for the complete degradation of ...

The aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds by bacteria is performed by dioxygenases. To show some characteristic patterns of the dioxygenase genotype and its degradation specificities, twenty-nine gram-negative bacterial cultures were obtained from sediment contaminated with phenolic compounds in Wuhan, China. The isolates were phylogenetically diverse and belonged to 10 genera. All 29 gram-...

Pseudomonas cepacia G4 possesses a novel pathway of toluene catabolism that is shown to be responsible for the degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE). This pathway involves conversion of toluene via o-cresol to 3-methylcatechol. In order to determine the enzyme of toluene degradation that is responsible for TCE degradation, chemically induced mutants, blocked in the toluene ortho-monooxygenase ...

Photocatalytic degradation of phenol by oxidation, utilizing doped TiO2 (Fe/TiO2) as photocatalyst in the form of immobilized thin films in a jacketed photocatalytic batch reactor was the subject of this research. Fe/TiO2 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and coated on the chosen glass substrates using the wet coating method of dip-coating. Titanium isopropoxide wa...

A range of bacteriological, geochemical process-related and molecular techniques have been used to assess the microbial biodegradative potential in groundwater contaminated with phenol and other tar acids. The contaminant plume has travelled 500 m from the pollutant source over several decades. Samples were obtained from the plume using a multi-level sampler (MLS) positioned in two boreholes (b...

When Penicillium simplicissimum is grown on veratryl alcohol, anisyl alcohol, or 4-(methoxymethyl)phenol, an intracellular covalent flavin-containing vanillyl-alcohol oxidase is induced. The induction is highest (up to 5% of total protein) during the growth phase. In addition to vanillyl-alcohol oxidase, an intracellular catalase-peroxidase is induced. Induction of vanillyl-alcohol oxidase in P...

As in many other microorganisms, the growth rate of C. tropicalis is affected by phenol. Besides, when the yeast is aerobically cultivated in a medium containing phenol, using a bubble column, the yeast cell flotation phenomenon occurs, which makes the continuous operation of this type of reactor difficult. Therefore, a system of phenol degradation, which recycles the biomass separated by flota...

The results of a study on the composition of microflora settling the pilot biofilter bed that purifies the exhausting gases from a cable factory's coil-wire varnishing division are presented in this study. The ability of isolated bacterial strains to biodegrade phenol was also evaluated using culture media of various compositions. Phenol was introduced into the medium at the following concentra...

The environment, as a consequence of industrial and agricultural revolutions, tends to harden with potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic halogen-substituted aromatic compounds. Phenol and its higher molecular homologues are dangerous environmental pollutants. Due to their toxic character, these molecules tend to accumulate in water and soil after being discharged without an adequate treatment....

Two fosmid libraries, totaling 13,200 clones, were obtained from bioreactor sludge of petroleum refinery wastewater treatment system. The library screening based on PCR and biological activity assays revealed more than 400 positive clones for phenol degradation. From these, 100 clones were randomly selected for pyrosequencing in order to evaluate the genetic potential of the microorganisms pres...