Biodegradation of 4-Chlorophenol by Candida albicans PDY-07 under Anaerobic Conditions1

Candida albicans PDY-07 was isolated from activated sludge under anaerobic conditions and identified as a member belonging to the genus Candida. Pure culture of C. albicans PDY-07, biodegradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) was carried out under anaerobic conditions in Erlenmeyer flasks at 35°C, with an initial pH of 7.0–7.2 and a starting inoculum of 10% (by volume). The results showed that, under the above-mentioned conditions, C. albicans PDY-07 could thoroughly biodegrade 4-CP up to a concentration of 300mg·L−1 within 244h and that it had a high tolerance potential of up to 440mg·L−1 for 4-CP. With the increase in the initial concentrations of 4-CP, substrate inhibition was obviously enhanced. There was increased consumption of 4-CP, which was not assimilated by the cell for growth but was used to counteract the strong substrate inhibition. In addition, the cell growth and substrate-degradation kinetics of 4-CP as the sole source of carbon and energy for the strain in batch cultures were also investigated over a wide range of substrate concentrations (2.2–350mg·L−1), using the proposed cell growth and degradation kinetic models. The results recorded from these experiments showed that the proposed kinetic models adequately described the dynamic behavior of 4-CP biodegradation by C. albicans PDY-07.