Isolation and characterization of bacteria degrading sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds present in desalinated produced water.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Isolation and characterization of bacteria degrading sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds present in desalinated produced water.
Authors: Abubakari, Sa-Ad1 (AUTHOR), Abuzenah, Hebah2 (AUTHOR), Musa, Musa M.2,3 (AUTHOR), Abdur Razzak, Shaikh3,4 (AUTHOR), Alshammari, Salem5 (AUTHOR), Saleh, Salah5 (AUTHOR), Ayirala, Subhash5 (AUTHOR), Salhi, Billel6 (AUTHOR), Nzila, Alexis1,6 (AUTHOR) alexisnzila@kfupm.edu.sa
Source: Environmental Technology. Apr2026, Vol. 47 Issue 10, p1571-1581. 11p.
Subject Terms: *Sulfur compounds, *Organic water pollutants, *Saline water conversion, *Bioremediation, *Bacteria, *Petroleum industry, *Biodegradation, Pseudomonas fluorescens
Abstract: The oil and gas industries generate large-volumes of produced water (PW), a by-product characterized by high salinity, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Desalination reduces salinity, but desalinated produced water (DPW) still contains considerable organic pollutants, restricting its reuse, particularly in agriculture. This study aimed to chemically characterize DPW and isolate bacterial strains capable of degrading its organic components. Chemical analysis revealed significantly reduced salinity (0.1% w/v NaCl), low concentrations of nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, and negligible heavy metals. However, total organic carbon (TOC) remained high (∼200 ppm or 200 mg L⁻¹), exceeding permissible limits for agricultural reuse. Gas chromatography – mass spectrometry identified sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds as the dominant pollutants, along with in inorganic sulfur species. To enable bioremediation, bacterial strains were isolated from oil-contaminated soils using enrichment cultures with DPW as the sole carbon source. Two gram-negative strains, belonging to the species Pseudomonas fluorescens, were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing. Both thrived on glucose, acetate, and dibenzothiophene, a model sulfur-heterocycle. Bacterial growth and TOC removal were further evaluated in media with varying DPW and Bushnell-Hass (BH) ratios. Optimal growth and degradation occurred when DPW was supplemented with BH medium, highlighting the necessity of nutrient addition (biostimulation) to sustain biodegradation. Future work should determine the minimal nutrient supplementation required for efficient degradation while ensuring residual nutrient concentrations remain environmentally acceptable. Additionally, the process must be scaled from batch experiments to continuous bioreactor systems to assess long-term feasibility and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Environmental Technology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 193084081
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Isolation and characterization of bacteria degrading sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds present in desalinated produced water.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abubakari%2C+Sa-Ad%22">Abubakari, Sa-Ad</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abuzenah%2C+Hebah%22">Abuzenah, Hebah</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Musa%2C+Musa+M%2E%22">Musa, Musa M.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abdur+Razzak%2C+Shaikh%22">Abdur Razzak, Shaikh</searchLink><relatesTo>3,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alshammari%2C+Salem%22">Alshammari, Salem</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Saleh%2C+Salah%22">Saleh, Salah</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ayirala%2C+Subhash%22">Ayirala, Subhash</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Salhi%2C+Billel%22">Salhi, Billel</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nzila%2C+Alexis%22">Nzila, Alexis</searchLink><relatesTo>1,6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> alexisnzila@kfupm.edu.sa</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Technology%22">Environmental Technology</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 47 Issue 10, p1571-1581. 11p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sulfur+compounds%22">Sulfur compounds</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organic+water+pollutants%22">Organic water pollutants</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saline+water+conversion%22">Saline water conversion</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bioremediation%22">Bioremediation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bacteria%22">Bacteria</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Petroleum+industry%22">Petroleum industry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biodegradation%22">Biodegradation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pseudomonas+fluorescens%22">Pseudomonas fluorescens</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The oil and gas industries generate large-volumes of produced water (PW), a by-product characterized by high salinity, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Desalination reduces salinity, but desalinated produced water (DPW) still contains considerable organic pollutants, restricting its reuse, particularly in agriculture. This study aimed to chemically characterize DPW and isolate bacterial strains capable of degrading its organic components. Chemical analysis revealed significantly reduced salinity (0.1% w/v NaCl), low concentrations of nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, and negligible heavy metals. However, total organic carbon (TOC) remained high (∼200 ppm or 200 mg L⁻¹), exceeding permissible limits for agricultural reuse. Gas chromatography – mass spectrometry identified sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds as the dominant pollutants, along with in inorganic sulfur species. To enable bioremediation, bacterial strains were isolated from oil-contaminated soils using enrichment cultures with DPW as the sole carbon source. Two gram-negative strains, belonging to the species Pseudomonas fluorescens, were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing. Both thrived on glucose, acetate, and dibenzothiophene, a model sulfur-heterocycle. Bacterial growth and TOC removal were further evaluated in media with varying DPW and Bushnell-Hass (BH) ratios. Optimal growth and degradation occurred when DPW was supplemented with BH medium, highlighting the necessity of nutrient addition (biostimulation) to sustain biodegradation. Future work should determine the minimal nutrient supplementation required for efficient degradation while ensuring residual nutrient concentrations remain environmentally acceptable. Additionally, the process must be scaled from batch experiments to continuous bioreactor systems to assess long-term feasibility and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Technology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=193084081
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09593330.2026.2620606
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 1571
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sulfur compounds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Organic water pollutants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Saline water conversion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bioremediation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bacteria
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Petroleum industry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biodegradation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pseudomonas fluorescens
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Isolation and characterization of bacteria degrading sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds present in desalinated produced water.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Abubakari, Sa-Ad
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Abuzenah, Hebah
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Musa, Musa M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Abdur Razzak, Shaikh
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alshammari, Salem
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Saleh, Salah
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ayirala, Subhash
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Salhi, Billel
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Nzila, Alexis
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 15
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09593330
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 47
            – Type: issue
              Value: 10
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Environmental Technology
              Type: main
ResultId 1