Characterization of aromatic hydrocarbon degrading bacteria isolated from effluents of thermal power.

A study was conducted to characterize the bacteria present in the effluent of Panki Thermal Power and their bio-remedial properties. The selected five bacterial isolates collected during 2006 were subjected to morphological and biochemical test. On the basis of colony characteristics, microscopic and biochemical observations, the bacterial isolates belong to group IV, VIII, IX and group XI according to Bergey's manual of determinative bacteriology. Following this system, the bacterial isolates were tentatively identified as Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium, Neisseria and Proteus. Isolate P1 grew well on napthalene and kerosene containing media followed by P3 and P2 and P4 whereas P5 failed to grow. On phenol containing media isolate P2 grew well followed by P4 and P1 whereas P3 and P5 failed to grow. Antibiotic sensitivity assay revealed that isolate P2 was sensitive to all the four antibiotic used in the study, whereas isolate P1 was sensitive to all except norfloxacin. It is concluded that the isolate P1 has the potential to be exploited for cleaning the thermal effluent.