Identification and isolation of efficient phenol-degrading and heavy metal-resistant bacteria from seasonal catchments of the Lut Desert

A highly efficient phenol-degrading bacterium, Bacillus cereus LD-1, resistant to cadmium, was isolated from the Lut Desert, Iran. This strain demonstrated remarkable resilience and degradation capabilities, breaking down phenol concentrations up to 1,500 mg/L. Under optimized conditions—pH 8, temperature of 30°C, zero salinity, and a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 100:30—the bacterium achieved an 80.57% degradation rate. Among the tested factors, pH had the most significant impact on phenol biodegradation, followed by salinity, temperature, and C:N ratio. This discovery highlights the potential of B. cereus LD-1 for bioremediation applications in treating phenolic effluents contaminated with heavy metals, offering a promising solution for environmental cleanup in arid regions.

Samimi, M., & Shahriari-Moghadam, M. (2024). Identification and isolation of efficient phenol-degrading and heavy metal-resistant bacteria from seasonal catchments of the Lut Desert. Water Science & Technology, 90(7), 2017–2028. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.329