Mining biodegradable resource from waste - hunt for PHA microbes

Abstract

This project was conducted to identify microorganisms which are capable of accumulating polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by utilizing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene and styrene (BTEXS) as substrates.

Past research has shown that PHA-accumulating microorganisms have been discovered in activated sludge samples. Therefore, in this study, domestic and industrial activated sludge samples were chosen as potential sources of these microorganisms. Both samples were cultivated under aerobic conditions with BTEXS as the sole carbon source in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs).

BTEXS analysis methods were assessed and they were Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) methods, and it was found that the HPLC-DAD method is most suitable for BTEXS measurements.