HEAVY OIL DEGRADATION BY BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM OIL-CONTAMINATED SOIL SAMPLE

Author (s) : R.Selvabharathi

---

Abstract :
The rapid increase in industrial activities and the widespread use of petroleum-based products have led to a significant rise in oil contamination incidents, resulting in environmental degradation and potential threats to human health. Bioremediation, which involves the use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants, has emerged as a promising and environmentally friendly approach to mitigate oil contamination. This study aimed to investigate the potential of bacteria isolated from an oil-contaminated soil sample in degrading heavy oil. The soil sample was collected from a petroleum refinery site known for long-term oil contamination. A total of 50 bacterial strains were isolated and screened for their ability to utilize heavy oil as the sole carbon source. The results revealed that a subset of bacteria (n=15) exhibited substantial growth on heavy oil, indicating their potential as heavy oil degraders. Further characterization through 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified these strains as members of diverse bacterial genera, including Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Alcanivorax, among others. Subsequent experiments were conducted to assess the heavy oil degradation efficiency of the selected bacterial isolates. The biodegradation studies were performed under controlled laboratory conditions, simulating the natural environment found in oil-contaminated soils. The degradation rates were monitored through the quantification of residual hydrocarbons using gas chromatography. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of indigenous bacteria isolated from oil-contaminated soil samples as effective agents for heavy oil biodegradation. The findings contribute to the understanding of microbial interactions with petroleum hydrocarbons and provide valuable insights for the development of bioremediation strategies to combat oil pollution. Harnessing the natural abilities of these bacterial strains offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to restore contaminated environments and mitigate the adverse impacts of oil spills on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Further research focusing on the application of these bacterial isolates in field-based remediation trials is warranted to assess their feasibility for large-scale implementation.

Keywords : Bioremediation, Biodegradation, rRNA gene sequencing

Conference Date : 13/11/2020

Pages : 311

Paper ID : 20311