Kinetics of high strength phenol degradation using Bacillus brevis

A strain of Bacillus brevis has been isolated and identified based on biochemical results. Phenol biodegradation in a batch reactor was studied using the pure culture of B. brevis. The isolated strain was optimized for various environmental conditions and the biodegradation of phenol was maximum at pH 8.0, 5% (v/v) of inoculum size and without any co-substrate. The kinetics of biodegradation according to Haldane's equation μ = μmaxS/(Ks + S + (S2/Ki)) adequately describes cell growth with kinetic constants in the ranges μmax = 0.026–0.078 h−1, Ks = 2.2–29.31 mg/l, Ki = 868.0–2434.7 mg/l. These values are specific for this organism and we have compared with literature for pure or mixed cultures degrading phenol.