DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18094719
title: Removal of bisphenols from contaminated waters using Phragmites australis and bacteria (2021-2025)

description: Experimental data were generated between 2021–2025 under controlled laboratory conditions.

Methodology:

Bacterial Isolation and Identification

Bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of Phragmites australis collected in 2021 from a phenol-contaminated pond (Staw Kalina, southern Poland). Root suspensions were enriched in basal salt medium (BSM) supplemented with bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF; 1–10 mg L⁻¹). Morphologically distinct strains were purified and screened for plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore and IAA production, ACC deaminase activity, cellulolytic activity, motility, and biosurfactant production.

Two strains (BP1 and BP2) were selected for further experiments. Identification was performed using whole-cell fatty acid profiling and multilocus sequence analysis (16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoD), followed by ANI comparison with type strains.

Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW) Experiment

FTW microcosms (20 L tanks) were constructed using P. australis and pond water artificially contaminated with BPA and BPS (5 mg L⁻¹ each) and BPF (2.5 mg L⁻¹). Five treatments were established: plant control, natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation, and bacterial-assisted phytoremediation.

Microcosms were maintained at 22°C (16/8 h light/dark cycle) for 21 days with three biological replicates per treatment. Bacterial strains were immobilized in alginate beads prior to inoculation.

Bisphenol Quantification and Removal Analysis

Bisphenol concentrations were determined using HPLC-UV following solid-phase extraction (SPE). Removal efficiency (RE%) and biodegradation percentage (Bp%) were calculated considering adsorption, bioaccumulation, and abiotic removal.

Kinetic modeling followed a pseudo-first-order model. Computational analyses were performed in Python (pandas, NumPy).

Plant and Water Analyses

Water quality parameters (pH, DO, TDS, TSS, COD, TOC, BOD₇) were measured using standardized analytical procedures.

Plant physiological status was assessed through biomass determination, oxidative stress markers (H₂O₂, MDA, catalase activity), chlorophyll fluorescence, and RT-qPCR analysis of photosynthesis-related genes.

Phytotoxicity of treated water was evaluated using Pisum sativum germination assays.

Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA/MANOVA with post hoc tests (p < 0.05).

Data are provided in Excel (.xlsx), PDF, PNG, and IPBYN formats. The dataset includes:



Plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacterial traits: – Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production – ACC deaminase activity – Phosphate solubilization – Biosurfactant production

Water quality parameters (COD, BOD, pH, DO, TSS, VDS, TOC)

Plant biometric parameters (fresh weight,  root length, hypocotyl length)

Toxicity bioassay data (seed germination and growth measurements)

Gene expression data (qPCR results including Ct, ΔCt, ΔΔCt, and relative expression 2^-ΔΔCt)

Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (OJIP test measurements)

Kinetic modelling


The dataset contains raw and processed experimental data generated during the study.

File Structure: Each Excel file corresponds to a specific experimental component or figure. Files contain labeled worksheets. Most of variables and measurement units are described here:




Polish name
English name
Description
Unit
 


Szczep
Strain
Bacterial strain identifier
-
 


Układ
Treatment
Experimental treatment group
-
 


Powtórzenie
Replicate
Biological replicate number
-
 


Korzeń_długość_cm
Root_length_cm
Root length measured in centimeters
cm
 


Hypokotyl_długość_cm
Hypocotyl_length_cm
Hypocotyl length measured in centimeters
cm
 


Mokra masa_g
Fresh_weight_g
Fresh plant biomass in grams
g
 


Sucha masa_g
Dry_weight_g
Dry plant biomass in grams
g
 


IAA_koncentracja_ug_mL
IAA_concentration_ug_mL
Indole-3-acetic acid concentration (µg mL⁻¹)
µg mL⁻¹
 


ACC_koncentracja_umol_mL
ACC_concentration_umol_mL
ACC concentration (µmol mL⁻¹)
µmol mL⁻¹


Przejaśnienie
Halo_zone_mm
Halo zone diameter indicating phosphate solubilization (mm)
mm
 


Kolonia
Colony_diameter_cm
Bacterial colony diameter (cm)
cm
 


Absorbancja
Absorbance_λ
Spectrophotometric absorbance at specified wavelength
unitless
 


Ct
Ct_value
Cycle threshold value in qPCR
cycles
 


ΔCt
ΔCt
Delta Ct (Ct_target − Ct_reference)
cycles
 


ΔΔCt
ΔΔCt
Delta Delta Ct (ΔCt_sample − ΔCt_control)
cycles
 


Relatywna ekspresja_2^-ΔΔCt
Relative_expression_2^-ΔΔCt
Relative gene expression calculated using 2^-ΔΔCt method
fold change