BIODEGRADATION OF HYDROCARBON BENZENE, TOLUENE, ETHYLBENZENE AND XYLENE (BTEX) BY CONSORTIUM BACTERIAL CULTURE

The cooperation amongst microbial bacteria community in biodegrading hydrocarbons has been extensively studied particularly in BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) which is a major component of petroleum products. In this study, the toxicity and the degradation of BTEX by an environmental bacterial consortium culture was determined. Complete growth inhibitions observed for ethylbenzene was at 196.97 mg/L, xylene at 206.11 mg/L, followed by toluene and benzene at 273.11 mg/L and 374.87 mg/L, respectively. Significant decreases in specific growth rate µ (hr -1 ) of the CC was observed when individual BTEX concentrations were increased from 10 to 500 mg/L (P<0.05). The GCFID chromatographic profile showed that BTEX compounds were reduced ranging from 18-35% after 24 hours and 41-61% after 48 hours. These findings suggest BTEX mineralization by consortium culture has taken place, thus providing an insight that consortium culture utilized BTEX as their sole source of carbon and energy for growth.