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Degradation of diesel oil by immobilized Candida tropicalis and biofilm formed on gravels

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Abstract

The performance of diesel oil degradation by Candida tropicalis immobilized on various conventional matrices (sodium alginate, carboxyl methyl cellulose, chitosan) and biowaste materials (wheat bran, sawdust, peanut hull powder) was investigated using the method of entrapment and physical adsorption. The yeast species immobilized in wheat bran showed enhanced efficiency in degrading diesel oil (98%) compared to free cells culture (80%) over a period of 7 days. Copious amount of exopolysaccharides were also produced in the presence of diesel oil. The biofilm forming ability of C. tropicalis on PVC strips was evaluated using XTT (2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) reduction assay and monitored by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Yeast biofilm formed on gravels showed 97% degradation of diesel oil over a period of 10 days. The potential use of the biofilms for preparing trickling filters (gravel particles), for attenuating hydrocarbons in oily liquid wastes before their disposal in the open environment is suggested and discussed. This is the first successful attempt for ‘artificially’ establishing hydrocarbon degrading yeast biofilm on solid substrates.

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Acknowledgment

Authors of this article would like to thank VIT University for providing Lab facility and financial support for the smooth conduct of the work.

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  1. Environmental Biotechnology Division, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India

    Preethy Chandran & Nilanjana Das

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  1. Preethy Chandran
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  2. Nilanjana Das
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Correspondence to Nilanjana Das.

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Chandran, P., Das, N. Degradation of diesel oil by immobilized Candida tropicalis and biofilm formed on gravels. Biodegradation 22, 1181–1189 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-011-9473-1

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