Author(s)

K. Morris, H. Zhao & R. John

Abstract

The use of a mixed microbial consortium in a rapid ferricyanide mediated biochemical oxygen demand assay K. Morris, H. Zhao & R. John School of Environmental and Applied Science, Grzflth University, Gold Coast, Australia. Abstract Ferricyanide mediated microbial reactions were employed for the rapid determination of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of a range of synthetic and industrial wastewater samples. By replacing oxygen with a highly soluble artificial electron acceptor, such as ferricyanide, the rates of microbial catabolism were greatly enhanced, providing the basis of a rapid BOD assay. The microbial species used in this study were Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia liquefaciens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Enterobacter cloace. Each species, as well as a synthetically prepared consortium of the five species, were compared in their ability to rapidly degrade organic samples in the presence of ferricyanide. The microbial consortium demonstrated a greater extent and

Keywords