In the present investigation, five novel Cr(VI) reducing bacteria were isolated from tannery effluents and solid wastes and identified as Kosakonia cowanii MKPF2, Klebsiella pneumonia MKPF5, Acinetobacter gerneri MKPF7, Klebsiella variicola MKPF8 and Serratia marcescens MKPF12 by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. The maximum tolerance concentration of Cr(VI) as K2Cr2O7 of the bacterial isolates was varying up to 2000 mg/L. Among the investigated bacterial isolates, A. gerneri MKPF7 was best in terms of reduction rate. The optimum temperatures for growth and Cr(VI) reduction by the bacterial isolates were 35 and 40 °C, respectively except A. gerneri MKPF7 which grew and reduced Cr(VI) optimally at 40 °C. The optimum pH for growth and Cr(VI) reduction by K. cowanii MKPF2, A. gerneri MKPF7 and S. marcescens MKPF12 was 7.0 whereas the optimum pH for growth and Cr(VI) reduction by K. pneumoniae MKPF5 and K. variicola MKPF8 were 7.0, 8.0 and 6.0, 7.0, respectively. All the bacterial isolates showed maximum tolerance against Ni2+ and Zn2+ whereas minimum tolerance was observed against Hg2+ and Cd2+. The bacteria isolated in the present study thus can be used as eco-friendly biological expedients for the remediation and detoxification of Cr(VI) from the contaminated environments.
Keywords: Acinetobacter gerneri MKPF7; Cr(VI) detoxification; Klebsiella variicola MKPF8; Kosakonia cowanii MKPF2; Serratia marcescens MKPF12; Tannery effluents; Tannery solid wastes.