Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Microbiology 2008-3289 15 6 2023 11 20 734 741 EN Navid Chamak Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran Parisa Farrokh Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran Roohollah Rostami Research Center for Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran Fatemeh Salimi Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran 2023 06 24 2023 10 28 Background and Objectives: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a toxic compound with broad applications in the plastics industry. BPA has harmful effects on various organisms and its efficient removal is necessary. The microbial degradation of BPA is a safe and economical approach. In this research, soil samples containing decaying plants were screened to isolate a BPA-degradable bacterial strain. Materials and Methods: Soil samples were collected from different locations in Damghan, Semnan province, Iran. To enrich BPA-degrading bacteria, the samples were cultured in a stepwise manner in a mineral medium containing increasing BPA concentrations (5 to 40 mg/L). The ability of isolated bacteria in degrading BPA was assayed by Folin-Ciocalteu and high-performance liquid chromatography methods. The biodegradation efficiency of the most efficient isolate was assayed under distinct conditions and it was identified through the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: Among the isolated bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DU2 (GenBank accession number: OP919484) showed the most BPA biodegradation ability. The highest BPA degradation (52.98%) was observed in the mineral medium containing 5 mg/L BPA and the inoculum size of 6 × 107 CFU/mL at pH 9 and in the presence of 0.05% (w/v) NaCl during 10 days. Conclusion: These results offer soil containing decaying plants as a promising source for finding BPA-degrading bacteria. P. aeruginosa DU2 has basal BPA removal ability, which could be improved by optimization of medium components and growth conditions. https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/view/4285 https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/download/4285/1619