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Investigating the degradation process of kraft lignin by β-proteobacterium, Pandoraea sp. ISTKB

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Abstract

The present study investigates the kraft lignin (KL) degrading potential of novel alkalotolerant Pandoraea sp. ISTKB utilizing KL as sole carbon source. The results displayed 50.2 % reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 41.1 % decolorization after bacterial treatment. The maximum lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) activity detected was 2.73 and 4.33 U ml−1, respectively, on day 3. The maximum extracellular and intracellular laccase activities observed were 1.32 U ml−1 on day 5 and 4.53 U ml−1 on day 4, respectively. The decolorization and degradation was maximum on day 2. Further, it registered an increase with the production of extracellular laccase. This unusual trend of decolorization and degradation was studied using various aromatic compounds and dyes. SEM and FTIR results indicated significant change in surface morphology and functional group composition during the course of degradation. Gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis confirmed KL degradation by emergence of new peaks and the identification of low molecular weight aromatic intermediates in treated sample. The degradation of KL progressed through the generation of phenolic intermediates. The identified intermediates implied the degradation of hydroxyphenyl, ferulic acid, guaiacyl, syringyl, phenylcoumarane, and pinoresinol components commonly found in lignin. The degradation, decolorization, and GC-MS analysis indicated potential application of the isolate Pandoraea sp. ISTKB in treatment of lignin-containing pollutants and KL valorization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, Government of India, for providing research grants. We also thank Dr. Ajai Kumar and Dr. Manoj Pratap Singh (Advanced Instrumentation Research Facility—AIRF, JNU, New Delhi) for the GC-MS and FTIR analysis. We are thankful to Niharika Agrawal (NIT, Raipur) for her support in the research work.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India

    Madan Kumar, Jyoti Singh, Manoj Kumar Singh, Anjali Singhal & Indu Shekhar Thakur

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  1. Madan Kumar
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  2. Jyoti Singh
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  3. Manoj Kumar Singh
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  4. Anjali Singhal
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  5. Indu Shekhar Thakur
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Correspondence to Indu Shekhar Thakur.

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Kumar, M., Singh, J., Singh, M.K. et al. Investigating the degradation process of kraft lignin by β-proteobacterium, Pandoraea sp. ISTKB. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 15690–15702 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4771-5

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