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Dynamics and prevalence of specific hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial population with respect to nutrient treatment levels in crude oil sludge

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Abstract

The bacterial community composition in soil sediments changes with respect to nutrient concentrations and environmental conditions. Reports on the correlation between bacterial populations and inorganic nutrient concentrations in oily sediments are limited. The present time series study reports the prevalence of specific hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities in nutrient-treated oily sludge microcosms. The hydrocarbon degradation was maximum at 625 µg nitrogen (N) and 62.5 µg phosphorus (P)/g sludge sediment. The 16S rRNA gene-based DGGE analyses revealed noticeable changes in bacterial community composition with time and levels of nutrient treatment. BLASTn analysis of the 16S rRNA gene clone sequence showed the abundance of γ-Proteobacteria (44%), α-Proteobacteria (16%), β-Proteobacteria (10%), CFB (4%), and unidentified bacterial clones (26%). The catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) gene clones were affiliated to the genus Sphingomonas, highlighting the vital role of Sphingomonas in aromatic hydrocarbon degradation. The quantity of the 16S rRNA gene and the alkane hydroxylase (alkB) gene reached maximum levels in extended duration microcosms treated with 625 µg N and 62.5 µg P/g sludge sediment. In contrast, the C12O gene reached its highest abundance at a low N concentration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, for providing the research facilities. Fellowship grant from DST INSPIRE to Bobby Chettri (IF10272) is gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from DBT, Govt. of India (BT/306/NE/TBP/2012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793022, India

    Bobby Chettri & Arvind K. Singh

  2. Department of Microbiology, South Asian Institute of Rural and Agricultural Management, Imphal West, Manipur, India

    Chingkheihunba Akoijam

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  1. Bobby Chettri
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  3. Arvind K. Singh
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AKS and CA developed the concept of the experiments. BC conducted the experiments. All authors contributed to data analysis and manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Arvind K. Singh.

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Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

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Chettri, B., Akoijam, C. & Singh, A.K. Dynamics and prevalence of specific hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial population with respect to nutrient treatment levels in crude oil sludge. Arch Microbiol 204, 708 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-022-03323-9

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