Isolation and identification of Achromobacter denitrificans and evaluation of its capacity in cadmium removal

Cadmium is a persistent and toxic contaminant of aquatic ecosystems. The objectives of our present study were to isolate and identify cadmium-resistant bacteria from polluted sediment of Khor Musa (Persian Gulf) and study their capacity in cadmium biosorption. The results showed that among different isolated bacterial species, A. denitrificans strain PQ-1 was the most resistant bacteria against cadmium. Results also indicated that metal biosorption by A. denitrificans strain PQ-1 is capable of excluding 55.1%, 50.7%, and 43.5% of the cadmium from 25, 50, and 100 mg/l concentrations, respectively. It is suggested that using the biosorption ability of A. denitrificans strain PQ-1 could be a low-cost technique in heavy metal removal.