Biodegradation of aniline by alkaliphilic strain Bacillus badius D1

Abstract

Aromatic amines are well known for their properties as potential mutagens as well as carcinogens. Aniline is an aromatic amine and it is used as an intermediate of many synthetic organic compounds. Several azo dyes and nitro amine compounds, on degradation produce aniline which causes environmental pollution. In the present study, attempts were made to investigate biodegradation of aniline by using an alkaliphile, Bacillus badius D1 strain with various concentrations ranging from 0.28 to 1.55g/L at 37 o C under shaking condition at pH 9. The alkaliphile, Bacillus badius D1 strain was found to have promising degradation potential towards aniline. The effect of various parameters such as, temperature, pH, salinity and additional carbon and nitrogen sources showed significant increase in degradation. The degradation process of aniline by bacteria was monitored by spectroscopic analysis at various time intervals. The tentative degradation pathway was established from the structures of intermediates of aniline by 1 HNMR, FTIR and GCMS.