Journal of Environmental Biology

Influence of lignin, pentachlorophenol and heavy metal on antibiotic

resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from pulp paper

mill effluent contaminated river water

Author Details

Ram Chandra

(Corresponding author)

Environmental Microbiology Section, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR),

Lucknow - 226 001, India

e-mail:? ramchandra_env@indiatimes.com

Monica Sankhwar

Environmental Microbiology Section, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR),

Lucknow - 226 001, India

Publication Data

Paper received:

27 May 2010

Revised received:

21 September 2010

Accepted:

20 November 2010

Abstract

Pulp paper mill pollutants are the major source of aquatic contamination having metals, lignin and chlorophenols. Study was conducted to see the effect of these contaminants on antibiotic resistance pattern of isolated bacteria. Pulp?? paper effluents were evaluated for its physico-chemical properties i.e, BOD 72143?164. 81 to 22.32?2.48, COD 213136?583.59 to 60.40?6.34, total phenol 386?71.24 to 0.43?0.0, lignin 26312?258.59 to 73.67?31.81and microbial quality i.e. K. pneumonae, S. typhi, S. faecalis, P. aeruginosa, E.coli, Ent. faecalis, A. hydrophila, B. subtilis, S.aureus, Y. enterolitica and V. vulrificus. Antibiotic sensitivity (10-30 ?g), heavy metal resistance (100-1000 ?g ml^-1), lignin (1000-10,000 ppm) and pentachlorophenol (100-1000 ppm) tolerance of bacterial strains were assessed by seven classes of antibiotics. Eleven bacterial isolates were found multidrug resistant towards antibiotics, heavy metal, lignin and PCP. Out of 11 isolates, 90.9% were found resistant against eleven antibiotics which acquired 100% resistant in presence of heavy metal, lignin and chlorophenols. Results also revealed that concentration of lignin (50-350 ppm) and PCP (5-30 ppm) induced maximum growth (273-8050 cfu ml^-1) of pathogenic bacteria in river water.

Key words

Antibiotic, Bacteria, Lignin, Multidrug resistance, Pentachlorophenol (PCP), Heavy metal

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