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Isolation and Characterization of Biosurfactant Producing and Crude Oil Degrading Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils

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Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions A: Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this work was to isolate and characterize bacteria from two crude oil-contaminated soils which were capable of producing biosurfactant and degrade oil. The contaminated soils were located in Tehran and Isfahan oil refineries, Iran. Various traits, such as hemolytic activity, oil resolving , oil spreading, and oil emulsifying capability were used to screen the isolates. Among 54 isolated isolates from two petroleum-contaminated soils, only 10 isolates were able to produce biosurfactant and degrade oil. These 10 isolates could produce glycolipid biosurfactants, which ranged from 1.93 to 3.7 g L−1. The results showed that four isolates (T4, T27, T30 and E1) could efficiently degrade crude oil in saline mineral broth, with the highest removal efficiency of 39% for T4. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that both lighter and heavier petroleum hydrocarbons were affected by microbial degradation. It was also demonstrated that branched alkanes as well as linear alkanes were degraded by the isolates. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, all four isolates were identified as pseudomonas aeruginosa. Overall, this study shows that the biosurfactant production is a critical trait in screening of oil-degrading bacteria. Thus, the superior strains in this study are recommended for bioremediation programs, particularly in reclamation of crude oil-contaminated saline soils.

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Acknowledgements

The financial and facility support of this project by the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII) is appreciated. The authors also appreciate Shahid Tondgooyan oil refinery for providing crude oil for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Water and Soil Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

    Ali Ebadi, Mohsen Olamaee & Reza Ghorbani Nasrabadi

  2. Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), AREEO, P.O. Box: 31535-1897, Karaj, Iran

    Nayer Azam Khoshkholgh Sima

  3. Department of Microorganisms and Biosafety, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), AREEO, P.O. Box: 31535-1897, Karaj, Iran

    Maryam Hashemi

Authors
  1. Ali Ebadi
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  2. Mohsen Olamaee
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  3. Nayer Azam Khoshkholgh Sima
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  4. Reza Ghorbani Nasrabadi
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  5. Maryam Hashemi
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Correspondence to Nayer Azam Khoshkholgh Sima.

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Ebadi, A., Olamaee, M., Khoshkholgh Sima, N.A. et al. Isolation and Characterization of Biosurfactant Producing and Crude Oil Degrading Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soils. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Sci 42, 1149–1156 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-017-0162-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-017-0162-8

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