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Biodegradation of Crude Oil by Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from a Volcano Island

Biodegradation volume 17, pages 3–9 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

One-hundred and fifty different thermophilic bacteria isolated from a volcanic island were screened for detection of an alkane hydroxylase gene using degenerated primers developed to amplify genes related to the Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas oleovorans alkane hydroxylases. Ten isolates carrying the alkJ gene were further characterized by 16s rDNA gene sequencing. Nine out of ten isolates were phylogenetically affiliated with Geobacillus species and one isolate with Bacillus species. These isolates were able to grow in liquid cultures with crude oil as the sole carbon source and were found to degrade long chain crude oil alkanes in a range between 46.64% and 87.68%. Results indicated that indigenous thermophilic hydrocarbon degraders of Bacillus and Geobacillus species are of special significance as they could be efficiently used for bioremediation of oil-polluted soil and composting processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Microbiology Group, University of Athens, 15781, Athens, Greece

    Christos Meintanis, Kalliopi I. Chalkou & Amalia D. Karagouni

  2. Department of Animal Production and Aquatic Environment, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, 38384 N. Ionia, Volos, Greece

    Konstantinos Ar. Kormas

Authors
  1. Christos Meintanis
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  2. Kalliopi I. Chalkou
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  3. Konstantinos Ar. Kormas
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  4. Amalia D. Karagouni
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Correspondence to Amalia D. Karagouni.

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Meintanis, C., Chalkou, K.I., Kormas, K.A. et al. Biodegradation of Crude Oil by Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from a Volcano Island. Biodegradation 17, 3–9 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-6495-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-6495-6

Keywords

  • alkJ
  • alkanes
  • Geobacillus
  • Santorini

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