Isolation of Ochrobactrum sp.QZ2 from sulfide and nitrite treatment system

A bacterial strain QZ2 was isolated from sludge of anoxic sulfide-oxidizing (ASO) reactor. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis and morphology, the isolate was identified as Ochrobactrum sp. QZ2. The strain was facultative chemolithotroph, able of using sulfide to reduce nitrite anaerobically. It produced either elemental sulfur or sulfate as the product of sulfide oxidation, depending on the initial sulfide and nitrite concentrations. The optimum growth pH and temperature for Ochrobactrum sp. QZ2 were found as 6.5-7.0 and 30 °C, respectively. The specific growth rate (μ) was found as 0.06 h−1 with a doubling time of 19.75 h; the growth seemed more sensitive to highly alkaline pH. Ochrobactrum sp. QZ2 catalyzed sulfide oxidation to sulfate was more sensitive to sulfide compared with nitrite as indicated by IC50 values for sulfide and nitrite utilization implying that isolate was relatively more tolerant to nitrite. The comparison of physiology of Ochrobactrum sp. QZ2 with those of other known sulfide-oxidizing bacteria suggested that the present isolate resembled to Ochrobactrum anthropi in its denitrification ability.