Utilization of 2T engine oil by Pseudomonas sp. isolated from automobile workshop contaminated soil

Aims

Hydrocarbon components are carcinogens and neurotoxin organic pollutants. Biodegradation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils has been established as an efficient, economic, versatile and environmentally sound treatment. Our aim was to isolate the 2T engine degrading bacterial culture from automobile workshop contaminated soil.

Method

A total of nineteen morphological different bacterial cultures were isolated by enrichment and pour plate method. The growth of isolated cultures was studied in liquid M9 medium containing 0.5 % 2T engine oil. On the basis of increasing optical density in M9 medium only one bacterial strains GD₁₈ was selected for further study. On the basis of morphological, physiological and biochemical properties strain GD₁₈ was tentatively identified as pseudomonas sp. The degradation of 2T engine oil hydrocarbon degradation was checked by GC-MS analysis. The strain GD₁₈ degraded completely the following hydrocarbons (Tridecane, Tridecane 6 methyl, Dodecane 2, 6, 10 trimethyl, Naphthalene 1, 6 dimethyl, Pentadecane, Hexadecane, Heptadecane 2, 6, 10, 14 tetramethyl, Heneicosane, 11 decyl) with in 10 days.

Conclusion

The strain GD₁₈ was able to degrade 96.3 % of total hydrocarbons present in 2T engine oil. This is very efficient hydrocarbon degrading bacterial culture and can be used for successfully removal of 2T engine oil from contaminated soil.