Degradation of phenol in seawater using a novel microorganism isolated from the intestine of Aplysia kurodai

Phenol is an organic compound widely used as a solvent. It is discharged by various industries into rivers and then accumulates in lakes and seawater. It is difficult to treat phenol in seawater by biological means because the high concentrations of dissolved mineral salts in seawater inhibit the growth of most microorganisms. We investigated the bioremediation of phenol in seawater using a novel microorganism isolated from the intestine of a marine slug. A novel bacterium was isolated from the intestine of the sea slug (Aplysia kurodai) using enrichment culture with a high concentration of phenol. From experimental research on the bacteriumʹs morphological, and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and using molecular (16S rDNA) techniques, it was found that it belongs to the genus Serratia. Serratia sp. could degrade phenol completely; this is in contrast to activated sludge, which degraded only about 35% of phenol in seawater. This novel microorganism seems to have the potential for the efficient treatment of organic pollutants in seawater.