Characterization of Pseudomonas monteilii CCM 3423 and its physiological potential for biodegradation of selected organic pollutants.

Pseudomonas monteilii CCM 3423 bacterial strain, deposited at the Czech Collection of Microorganisms, was originally isolated by Haľama and Augustín (1980) as a bacterium degrading aromatic hydrocarbons and derivates. A detailed study supported by a molecular genetics method of sequence analyses of rrs and rpoD genes was used to reclassify the strain, originally stored as 'Pseudomonas putida'. The physiological characteristics of the strain are complemented with research in the capacity to utilize selected organic pollutants (anthracene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene). The obtained results point at very good biodegradation properties of the strain. Already after 7 days of the bacterial strain's action, there was a decrease in all the organic contaminants to 79.8 ± 2.6 %. In 14 days, the amount of organic contaminants dropped to 59.3 ± 2.8 %. After 21 days of biodegradation experiments, the overall quantity of the observed organic substances fell below the half limit to 45.7 ± 2.5 % of residuals. Finally, after 28 days, the residue was 35.4 ± 2.2 %, and after 35 days of the action of P. monteilii, the tested samples contained mere 27.8 ± 2.8 % of organic pollutants. The results imply that Pseudomonas monteilii CCM 3423 is a prospective strain in terms of further biotechnological application in contaminated environment.