Kinetics Analysis of a Salt-Tolerant Perchlorate-Reducing Bacterium: Effects of Sodium, Magnesium, and Nitrate

Salt-tolerant perchlorate-reducing bacteria can be used to regenerate ion-exchange brines or resins exhausted with perchlorate. A salt-tolerant perchlorate-reducing Marinobacter vinifirmus strain P4B1 was recently purified. This study determined the effects of Na(+) and Mg(2+) concentrations on the perchlorate reduction rate of P4B1. The results showed that strain P4B1 could utilize perchlorate and grow in the presence of 1.8% to 10.2% NaCl. Lower NaCl concentrations allowed faster perchlorate reduction. The addition of Mg(2+) to the culture showed significant effects on perchlorate reduction when perchlorate was the sole electron acceptor. A molar Mg(2+)/Na(+) ratio of ∼0.11 optimized perchlorate degradation and cell growth. When perchlorate and nitrate were both present, nitrate reduction did not start significantly until perchlorate was below 100 mg/L. Tests with washed cell suspensions indicated that strain P4B1 had both perchlorate and nitrate reduction enzymes. When the culture was exposed to both perchlorate and nitrate, the nitrate reduction enzyme activity was low. The maximum specific substrate utilization rate (Vm) and the half saturation coefficient (KS) for P4B1 (30 g/L NaCl) determined in this study were 0.049 ± 0.003 mg ClO4(-)/mg VSS-h and 18 ± 4 mg ClO4(-)/L, respectively.