A Laboratory-Scale Study: Biodegradation of Bisphenol A (BPA) by Different Actinobacterial Consortium

The unique diversity of microbes makes them ideal for biotechnological purposes. In this present study, 16 actinobacterial isolates were screened on media supplemented with Bisphenol A (BPA). Three out of 16 isolates exhibited high biocapacity to degrade BPA as a carbon source. Four different mixed actinobacterial consortia were developed using the above strains and the effect of each consortium on biomass growth; laccase production and BPA degradation were examined. At 100-mg/L BPA concentration, the three-member consortium grew well with maximum laccase activity as well as maximal degradation rate of Bisphenol A than the other two-member consortium. The consortium of Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces bovis, and Actinomyces israelii degraded 93.1% with maximum laccase activity of 15.9 U/mL, followed by A. naeslundii and A. israelii with 87.3% and 9.5 U/mL. This was followed by A. naeslundi and A. bovis with 80.4% and 8.7 U/mL, while A. bovis and A. israelii degraded 76.0% with laccase activity of 7.0. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of biodegraded BPA showed the presence of oxalic acid and new products like 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene and 2,9-dimethyldecane.