A degradation functional strain using hexadecene

This study employed Bacillus sp. Hex-HIT36, a hexadecene-degrading bacterium, for targeted bioreinforcement of the biological aerated filter (BAF) system, systematically investigating its degradation mechanism and treatment efficacy for hexadecene-containing wastewater. Microbial communities were monitored at 20%, 50%, and 80% dry weight loading rates of HIT36, with pollutant removal tracked. 16S rRNA sequencing, RDA analysis, and PICRUSt2 functional prediction were employed to decipher microbial community evolution and metabolic responses.Results demonstrated that HIT36 loading significantly enhanced hexadecene removal with a clear dose-response relationship. At 20%, 50%, and 80% dosages, final hexadecene removal rates reached 41.8%, 44.8%, and 49.4%, respectively. Community structure analysis revealed Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes as dominant phyla. As the HIT36 dosage increased from 20% to 80%, the abundance of Firmicutes significantly rose from 5.92% to 10.26%, indicating successful colonization and competitive advantage of functional bacteria. Conversely, the abundance of Proteobacteria correspondingly decreased from 84.24% to 77.97%.Metabolic function prediction further revealed that HIT36 addition enhanced key pathways including membrane transport, exogenous biodegradation and metabolism, carbon metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Among these, carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism - as core pathways - exhibited increased abundance directly linked to energy acquisition and material conversion processes utilizing hexadecene as a carbon source, thereby systematically boosting biodegradation efficiency.In summary, the addition of the functional strain HIT36 not only directly degrades target pollutants but also optimizes the microbial niche within the BAF system by regulating the microbial community structure and enhancing key metabolic functions. This provides an effective theoretical basis and technical pathway for the targeted biological enhancement of refractory organic compounds in industrial wastewater.