Isolation of Indigenous Hydrocarbon Transforming Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils in Libya: Selection for Use as Potential Inocula for Soil Bioremediation

Hakima, Althalb; Ian, Singleton

Abstract

The Libyan oil industry has left a significant legacy of contamination and methods are required to remediate oil-contaminated soils in the area. In this work hydrocarbon utilizing microorganisms were isolated and identified from contaminated soil samples obtained from an oil Refinery (Zawia, Libya). After initial screening of eleven isolates capable of growth on hexadecane, the five most promising hydrocarbon–utilizing bacteria were isolated and tested for biosurfactant production and emulsification activity. They were identified (using 16S rRNA sequence analysis) as Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas species, Betaproteobacterium, Actinomyces species, and Bacillus species. Among the five species tested, Pseudomonas putida showed superior performance in terms of growth on hydrocarbons (1.0×10 10 CFU (ml)), E24 emulsifying activity (86%) and ability to transform hydrocarbons in pure culture. Interestingly, gas chromatographic analysis of crude oil treated with P. putida showed a decrease in heavy hydrocarbon fractions demonstrating a clear potential for this microbe to be used as a soil inoculant in bioremediation.

Citation

Hakima, A., & Ian, S. (2017). Isolation of Indigenous Hydrocarbon Transforming Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils in Libya: Selection for Use as Potential Inocula for Soil Bioremediation. International journal of environmental bioremediation & biodegradation, 5(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.12691/ijebb-5-1-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 17, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Mar 1, 2017
• Publication Date: Aug 26, 2017
• Deposit Date: Mar 17, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 17, 2017
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Bioremediation & Biodegradation
• Print ISSN: 2333-8628
• Publisher: Science and Education Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 8-17
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12691/ijebb-5-1-2
• Keywords: Biosurfactant; Emulsifying Activity; hydrocarbon–utilizing bacteria; Pseudomonas putida; Betaproteo bacterium; Actinomyces species; Bacillus species
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/813314