You need to a have a skim of the references to understand this presentation in its entirety and to know the effectiveness of arranging it in the way it is arranged.

1. Saleh Sarwar
Environmental Biotechnology
“Biodegradation of
Phenolic Compounds”
Topic!

2. Phenols/ Phenolic Compounds :
OH group + Aromatic Group (benzene ring) = Phenol
Phenol + Other Substances = Phenolic Compounds Or Phenols
Cresol

3. Biodegradation :
Toxic Compound Non Toxic or Less Toxic
By
“Life”

4. Toxicity of Phenolic Compounds :
Toxicity Intense Degree
• Plants Sap contains Phenloic compounds, which is more of poison.
Can Cause :
• Coagulative Necrosis
• Ulceration
• Methemiglobinemia
• Cardiac Arrhythmia
• Coma . . . Etc.

5. How they become part of our Environment ?
Effluent of . . .
• Steel Industries
• Oil Refineries
• Petrochemicals industries
• Textile Industries

6. Routes of Exposure :
• Inhalation
• Skin/ eye contact
• Metabolism
“Life” , which Degrade Phenolic Compounds :
• Bacteria Pseudomonas putida (most popular), Bacillus,
Xanthomonas, Azotobacter, Flavobacterium,
Akaligenes, Clostridium.
• Fungi Aspergillus, Penicillium, Neurospora
• Yeast Candida, Trichosporn, Rhodotorula

7. Pathways For Biodegradation of Phenolic Compounds :
•Two Pathways:
1. Aerobic
2. Anaerobic
Aerobic : It has been study in Early 19th Century.
• Organisms which Utilize Phenol by Aerobic Pathways are :
Pseudomonas putida, Candida tropicalis , Acientobacter
calcoceticus

8. • Aerobic biodegradation is further divided into two Pathways .
• End Products : Acetyl Co A , Succenyle Co A , Pyruvate , acetaldehyde.
• Enzymes Involved : Hydroxylase, Catechol dioxygenase, Dehydrogenase,
Lactonizing Enzyme, Decarboxylase, Isomerase, hydratase, lactonase, Aldolase,
Trasferase, Thiolase, Actyl trasferase

9. Anaerobic Pathway : Phenols can be degraded in the absence of Oxygen
but this process is less advantageous.
• Organism which Utilize Phenols by Anaerobic Process :
Thauera aromatica, Desulphobacerium phenolcum,
Paracoccus denitrificans.
• End Products : Acetyl Co A , Succenyle Co A.
• Enzymes :

10. Reactors Used in Phenols Degradation :
• Packed bed Reactor
• Air Stirred Reactor
• Air Lift Bioreactor

11. Thank
You !
References :-
1. Recent advances in the Biodegradation of
Phenol: A review
2. Suleman Qasim ( Special Thanks to
Him)