Characteristics of styrene degradation by Rhodococcus pyridinovorans isolated from a biofilter

A novel strain (PYJ-1) of Rhodococcus pyridinovorans that was isolated from a biofilter was able to degrade styrene at a maximum rate of 0.16 mg (mg protein)−1 h−1 in batch culture at 97 mg l−1 of initial styrene gas concentration. The optimum pH and temperature for styrene degradation were 7 and 32 °C, respectively. The degradation kinetic constants were obtained using substrate inhibition kinetics. In a perlite-packed biofilter the maximum styrene removal rate by the strain was 279 g m−3 h−1. Styrene removal in the biofilter was more sensitive to the temperature than in the batch culture.