Date Received: 08-09-2025
Date Accepted: 10-12-2025
Date Published: 23-01-2026
##submissions.doi##: https://doi.org/10.31817/tckhnnvn.2026.24.1.06
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Nitrogen Removal Performance by Indigenous Bacillus cereus PT1.4 via Heterotrophic Nitrification and Aerobic Denitrification
Keywords
Isolation, Bacillus, heterotrophic nitrification, aerobic denitrification
Abstract
This study aimed to isolate and screen indigenous Bacillus strains capable of heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification from shrimp sediments. In this study, 17 out of 53 isolates were selected based on aerobic denitrification ability in BTB and DM1 media. Notably, the strain PT1.4 exhibited an outstanding efficiency of nitrogen removal (92.5%). Morphological and biochemical features of this strain were consistent with the genus Bacillus and the 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed 99.6% similarity to Bacillus cereus. For aerobic denitrification, strain PT1.4 achieved removal efficiencies of 95.2% for N-NO2- concentration and 98.3% for N-NO3- concentration within 120 hours of incubation, whereas under heterotrophic nitrification, over 91.3% of N-NH4+ concentration was eliminated after 72 hours of cultivation. In contrast to the increasing OD600 values, the concentrations of organic matter (CODMn) decreased in parallel with the decreasing concentrations of the inorganic N sources. These findings indicate that strain PT1.4 is capable of removing both nitrogen sources and organic compounds via assimilation and heterotrophic nitrification - aerobic denitrification pathways. Hence, strain PT1.4 is considered as a promising probiotic candidate for enhancing water quality in intensive shrimp practices.
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