Exploring the potential of Meyerozyma caribbica and its combined application with bacteria for lindane bioremediation.

This study explored the degradation potential of a yeast strain, Meyerozyma caribbica, alone and in combination with Bacillus velezensis and Priestia megaterium, found novel for lindane biodegradation. Isolated from hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-contaminated sites, M. caribbica, B. velezensis, and P. megaterium demonstrated lindane reduction efficiencies of 86.5%, 78.6%, and 77.5%, respectively, at 750 mg L⁻ within 10-day incubation period. Kinetic analysis revealed that M. caribbica followed the first-order degradation (r = 0.991; T₁/₂ = 4.3 days). Notably, M. caribbica exhibited the highest dechlorinase activity (9.27 U mL⁻) in the cell supernatant. Co-cultivation as the mixed culture of M. caribbica and P. megaterium achieved maximum lindane reduction (90%) and dechlorinase activity (9.93 U mL⁻). Whereas the mixed culture of M. caribbica and B. velezensis resulted in 80.9% reduction at 500 mg L⁻ lindane with dechlorinase activity of 6.77 U mL⁻. Growth kinetics, modelled using the Monod equation, showed a maximum specific growth rate of 0.416 h⁻ for the mixed culture of M. caribbica and P. megaterium at 750 mg L⁻ lindane. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of intermediate metabolites, viz., γ-pentachlorocyclohexane, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene and maleyl acetate, validated successive dechlorination and oxidative-reduction processes during lindane biodegradation. The findings of the study highlighted the potential of these novel microbial strains and their mixed cultures for effective bioremediation of lindane-contamination.