Using a bacterial consortium immobilized in chitosan beads as a tool for bioremediation

Abstract

Bioremediation consists of using living organisms to mitigate the effect of environmental pollutants. This work evaluated the capacity of a bacterial consortium immobilized in chitosan beads to degrade n-hexadecane. The consortium was tested in sterilized and unsterilized sediments, both in free form and immobilized in chitosan beads. The microcosms were contaminated with 10 mg of n-hexadecane/g of sediments and inoculated with 106 CFU/g of bacterial cells. The biodegradation was evaluated by monitoring the dehydrogenase activity (DHA), estimated by measurements of the product formazan. The immobilized consortium showed significant dehydrogenase activity compared with controls, confirming the capacity to metabolize the pollutant. This product represents a new option of bioremediation technology, and can be applied in mangroves contaminated with n-hexadecane, commonly found in oil spill areas, with the advantage of being an ecologically safe technology.