Removal Efficiency of Cr(VI) by Indigenous Pichia sp. Isolated from Textile Factory Effluent

FERNANDEZ, PABLO M.; MARTORELL, MARIA M.; FARINA, JULIA I.; FIGUEROA, LUCIA I. C.

SCIENTIFIC WORLD JOURNAL, THE

THESCIENTIFICWORLD LTD

Lugar: New York; Año: 2011 p. 1 - 6

1537-744X

Resistance of the indigenous strains P. jadinii M9 and P. anomala M10, to high Cr6+ concentrations and their ability to reducechromium in culturemedium was studied. The isolates were able to tolerate chromium concentrations up to 104 μgmL−1. Growthand reduction of Cr6+ were dependent on incubation temperature, agitation, Cr(VI) concentration, and pH. Thus, in both studiedstrains the chromium removal was increased at 30◦C with agitation. The optimum pH was different, with values of pH 3.0 andpH 7.0 in the case of P. anomalaM10 and pH7.0 using P. jadinii M9. Chromate reduction occurred both in intact cells (grown inculture medium) as well as in cell-free extracts. Chromate reductase activity could be related to cytosolic or membrane-associatedproteins. The presence of a chromate reductase activity points out a possible role of an enzyme in Cr6+ reduction.