Biodegradation
of Octadecane, Eicosane and Docosane Hydrocarbons by Different Strains Isolated
from the Oil-contaminated Soil of South Korea
Abstract:
Hydrocarbons (alkanes: C10-C20
and C20-C40) are hazardous to the plants and are also
carcinogenic, mutagenic & potent immune-toxicants to human and animal
health. Biodegradation of hydrocarbons by natural population of microorganisms
allows for the conversion of hazardous substances into less or non-toxic &
represent one of the primary mechanisms by which petroleum & diesel
products are removed from the environment inexpensively. In this study, 27
strains were isolated using modified transwell plate culture technique. Among which
4 (14.8%) isolates were considered to be probable new species based on 16S rRNA
sequencing. Similarly, out of 27 strains isolated, 6 strains (22.22%) belongs
to Rhodococcus, 3(11.11%) equally
belongs to Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas, & 2(7.40%) equally
belongs to Chryseobacterium and Enterobacter genus. The hydrocarbon
degradation efficiencies of these isolates were tested using mineral salt media
(MSM) containing 900 ppm of hydrocarbons (300 ppm each for octadecane, eicosane
& docosane) as a sole source of carbon and the degradation rates ranges
from 5% by strain D62 to 85% by strain K6 based on gas chromatography analysis.
These finding suggested that these isolates may be considered as higher alkanes
(hydrocarbons) tolerant and some of the selected strains could be potent higher
hydrocarbons degrader.
Keywords: Biodegradation, Isolation,
Hydrocarbons, Transwell plate, Oil-degrading bacteria
