V. SRIDEVI, A. KIRANMAI AND P. ANVESH
Abstract
The biodegradation of ammonium nitrogen to nitrite in fertilizer effluent by two nitrifying bacteria such as Nitrosomonas species (NCIM 5071) and Nitrosomonas europaea (MTCC 134) was compared in suspension and solid state cultures. Biodegradation was effective in suspension culture than solid state culture. In suspension cultures, the maximum rate was observed in the presence of medium at equivalent ratio (50:50) of effluent to medium. Moreover, the study also reveals that the rate of biodegradation was same irrespective of the initial concentration of ammonium nitrogen. The rate of biodegradation for Nitrosomonas species is 80% and that of Nitrosomonas europaea is 86% at 120h of incubation. Kinetics of biodegradation of ammonium nitrogen followed the first order kinetics.