BIODEGRADATION OF CYANIDE USING BACILLUS MEGATERIUM

The cyanide-utilizing bacteria from municipal sewage, bearing gold plating industrial wastewater was isolated and identified as Bacillus megaterium. The batch reaction process has been tried for various concentrations of cyanide with varying pH values, additional co-substrate, biomass concentration and also with inhibitory compound. From the experimental studies, it was found that cyanide concentration of about 150 ppm at pH 6.5 with biomass 4 % (v/v) was completely degraded using the isolated bacterial organism at a residence time of 5 days. It was also found that the same organism degrades cyanide completely in the presence of phenol, as inhibitory substance. There was no influence of co-substrate in the degradation process.