Biodegradation of linear polyacrylamides by bacteria containing amidase

The ability of Rhodococcus erythropolis IL BIO and Alcaligenes faecalis 2 bacterial strains with amidase activity to use linear polyacrylamides (PAAs) Praestol 650 BC, 2540 and 2300 D as a source of carbon or nitrogen nutrition was studied. It was determined that bacterial strains used these PAAs at a concentration of 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01% as a nitrogen source for biomass growth. The greatest bacterial growth was observed on the medium with PAA Praestol 2300 D at a concentration of 0.1%. It should be noted that not in all cases did the growth of amidase-containing bacteria correlate with a decrease in polymer viscosity. No growth of A. faecalis 2 was observed on a medium with anionic polymer at a concentration of 0.1% as the only growth substrate and at a concentration of 0.01% as carbon nutrition. Nonionic and cationic PAAs were subjected to more effective microbial degradation than anionic.