Abstract: An effective phenol-degrading strain was isolated from activated sludge, and was identified as Brevibacillus borstelensis based on morphological, biochemical, physiological experiments and 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. The strain could utilize phenol as sole carbon and energy source and the optimum degradation condition were temperature of 30℃, initial pH7.0 and shaking speed of 160 r/min. The biodegradation experiment indicated that the strain could completely degrade 1 600 mg/L phenol in 72 h. Also, the results showed that the higher the phenol concentration was, the stronger the substrate inhibition imposed. The process of its growth was also investigated using Haldane kinetic model. The parameters were:μmax(maximum specific growth rate)=0.334 h ^-1, Ks(half-satruration constant)=14.07 mg/L, Ki(inhibition constant)=196.89 mg/L. The phenol degradation kinetics of the strain followed a similar trend to that of its growth. Metabolic pathway research showed that the strain could be induced to synthesize extracellular catechol-1, 2-dioxygenase.

Key words: Brevibacillus borstelensis, Phenol, Biodegradation, Kinetics