Isolation and characterization of a salt-tolerant denitrifying bacterium Alishewanella sp. F2 from seawall muddy water

A salt-tolerant denitrifying bacterium strain F2 was isolated from seawall muddy water in Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China. Strain F2 was identified by morphological observations, physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16 S rDNA identification. The salt tolerance of strain F2 was verified and the factors affecting the removal ability of strain F2 to nitrous nitrogen (NO 2 – N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 – N) in saline conditions were investigated. Strain F2 was identified as Alishewanella sp., named Alishewanella sp. F2. Strain F2 can tolerate NaCl concentrations up to 70 g/L, and its most efficient denitrification capacity was observed at NaCl concentrations of 0−30 g/L. In the medium with NaCl concentrations of 0−30 g/L, strain F2 exhibited high removal efficiencies of NO 2 – N and NO 3 – N, with the removal percentages for both NO 2 – N and NO 3 – N of approximately 99%. In saline conditions with 30 g/L NaCl, the optimum culture pH, NaNO 2 initial concentrations and inoculation sizes of strain F2 were 8−10, 0.4−0.8 g/L and 5−7%, respectively. Strain F2 was highly effective in removing NO 2 – N and NO 3 – N in saline conditions, and it has a good application potential in saline wastewater treatment.