Properties of a hexane-degrading consortium

It was characterized the hexane biodegradation and mineralization using a hexane-degrading consortium, and analyzed its bacterial community structure by 16S rDNA PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). The specific growth rate (μ_max) of the hexane-degrading consortium was 0.2 h ^-1 in mineral salt medium supplemented with hexane as a sole carbon source. The maximum degradation rate (V_max) and saturation constant (K_s) of hexane of the consortium are 460 μmol·g-DCW ^-1·h^-1 and 25.87 mM, respectively. In addition, this consortium could mineralize 49.1% of ¹⁴C-hexane to ¹⁴CO₂, and 43.6% of ¹⁴C-hexane) was used for the growth of biomass. The clones isolated from the DGGE bands were closely related to the bacteria which were capable of degrading pollutants such as oil, biphenyl, PCE, and waste gases. The hexane-degrading consortium obtained in this study can be applied for the biological treatment of hexane.