A novel metabolic phenotype among acidophilic bacteria: aromatic degradation and the potential use of these organisms for the treatment of wastewatercontaining organic and inorganic pollutants

We have sought to enrich for acidophiles with the capability to grow with a romatic compounds as sole carbon and energy compounds. Enrichment of aerobi c acidophiles was successful with the model aromatic compounds benzoic acid , benzyl alcohol and phenol. As would be expected, at high concentrations o f benzoic acid the growth of most acidophiles was inhibited. One group of a cidophiles, however, exhibited an ability to grow with high concentrations of various aromatic acids. This success with aerobic acidophiles led us to seek anaerobic acidophiles with the capacity to degrade aromatic compounds. The enrichment of acidophiles that were able to couple aromatic degradatio n to sulfate reduction was also successful. With the discovery of these aci dophiles, it is now possible to develop a biological treatment system for a cidic waste waters containing both organic and inorganic pollutants.