A STRAIN OF ARTHROBACTER THAT TOLERATES HIGH-CONCENTRATIONS OF NITRATE

A gram-positive strain identified as Arthrobacter globiformis CECT 450 0, tolerant to up to 1 M nitrate, was isolated from the grounds of a m unitions factory. Under strict aerobic conditions, this bacterium used a wide variety of C-sources to obtain the energy required for growth, which took place when the nitrate concentration in the medium was bel ow 150 mM. Cells of this bacterium growing in the absence of nitrate w ere seen as individual cells or forming pairs, whereas cells grown in the presence of nitrate formed short filaments. With ethylene glycol a s the C-source, optimal conditions for the full nitrate removal by Ar Arthrobacter were established under laboratory conditions with wastewa ters from the synthesis of dinitroethylene glycol.