Isolation and Molecular Identification of Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils from Tamilnadu

M. Meenakshisundaram; C. Bharathiraja

Volume : III, Issue : VII, July - 2014

Isolation and Molecular Identification of Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils from Tamilnadu

M. Meenakshisundaram, C. Bharathiraja

Abstract :

Extensive hydrocarbons activities often result in the pollution of the environment, which could lead to disastrous consequences for the biotic and abiotic components in the ecosystem if not restored. Remediation of hydrocarbon– contaminated system could be achieved by either physiochemical or biological methods. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have different natural and anthropogenic sources and are widespread in the environment. They have deleterious effect on us. Because of structural complexity and hydrophobicity most of their members are chemically inert, so they are difficult to transform by any chemical reaction or to remove from the environment either by natural process of volatilization, photo oxidation or any other method. As a result they remain suspended in the environment and cause pollution. The present work was undertaken to assess, isolate and identify the hydrocarbon degrading bacteria associated with oil contaminated environmental soil. The samples were collected from soil near petrol, diesel pumps from different regions in Tamil Nadu.The samples were analyzed rmicrobiologically using standard microbiological techniques. These organisms were further characterized to determine their biodegrading ability on hydrocarbons as the sole source of carbon using culture dependent approach, the microbial growth were determined using UV Spectrophotometer at 600 nm. We have identified the following isolates using culture independent approach such as Achromobacter denitrificans, Bacillus flexus, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas medocina, Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus badius, Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus, and Exiguobacterium homiense. This results demonstrated that bacteria having the ability to degrade the PAHwith PAH degrading strains by an unknown mechanism. Therefore, understanding mechanism and interaction between these microbes may offer the opportunity to increase the degradation ability of soil–bound organic and inorganic condaminents.