SURYAKANT PANCHAL, SHEETAL MEHLA, SHILPA LOHAN AND NAMITA SINGH*
Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Bio and Nano Technology, Guru Jambheshwar University of
Science and Technology, Hisar-125 001 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : namitasingh71@gmail.com; Mobile : 94169 28883)
(Received : January 05, 2022; Accepted : January 20, 2022)
ABSTRACT
Phenanthrene is a persistent low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and its elevated
concentration due to anthropogenic activities shifts the diversity of microbes at contaminated sites and
threatens the ecosystem’s normal functioning. In this investigation, a phenanthrene degrading consortium
‘NS-PAH-2015-PNP-5’ was developed from the petrochemical contaminated sites. Using the Illuminabased 16S rRNA metagenomic approach, the bacterial diversity of NS-PAH-2015-PNP-5 was identified.
The results showed that Burkholderiaceae (34.17%), Pseudomonadaceae (32.91%), Sphingomonadaceae
(12.28%), Xanthomonadaceae (7.32%) and Rhodanobacteraceae (4.1%) were the leading taxa of familylevel diversity. Whereas at genus level diversity Pseudomonas (32.91%), Castellaniella (22.62%),
Sphingobium (11.63%), Achromobacter (9.56%), Stenotrophomonas (6.86%) and Dokdonella (4.1%) were
the dominating taxa. The result of GC analysis showed NS-PAH-2015-PNP-5 degraded 90% of 500 ppm
of phenanthrene after seven days of incubation. Also, this study advocated using the mixed naturally
enriched diversity of bacteria for safe and viable bioremediation strategies.
Key words : Phenanthrene, consortium, biodegradation, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon