DEGRADATION OF DIMETHYLTEREPHTHALATE BY NATURALLY FORMED MICROBIAL ASSOCIATIONS 169AC AND 189AC
Lilia Tserovska1* and Raycho Dimkov2
1National Bank for Industrial Microorganisms and Cell Cultures,
1113 Sofia, P.O.Box 239, Bulgaria;
2The Sofia University, Biological Faculty, Department of
Hydrobiology and Ichthyology,
8 "Dragan Tsankov" st., 1421 Sofia, Bulgaria
Summary
Mixed microbial cultures, naturally combined in two-member associations (169AC and 189AC), actively degraded the aromatic ester dimethylterephthalate as a single source of carbon and energy. The biodegrading activity of the associations and also of the pure culture combination was tested under polysubstrate conditions. When complementary substrates like methanol, xylol and ethylene glycol were added, the consisting of a bacterial and an actinomyces strains association 189, exhibited a higher activity. A biomass of this association was brought to freeze-drying and the lyophilizate saved biodegrading activity towards the studied substrate.
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