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Biodegradation of crude oil by Halomonas elongata strain KWPA-12: a moderately halophilic strain detected in oil spills around Garo sulfidic springs, MIS Oilfield, Iran

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Abstract

The oil spills in the vicinity of the Garo sulfidic springs in Golgir region, MIS oilfield, Iran, were investigated for halotolerant/halophilic microorganisms capable of crude oil biodegradation. Screenings resulted in an isolate capable of growth on crude oil of the local Asmari reservoir in media containing 30–100 g/L NaCl at 28 °C. The isolate, designed as KWPA-12, was an aerobic, motile, oxidase and catalase positive, Gram-negative rod. It was shown that strain KWPA-12 can utilize crude oil as the carbon and sulfur sources with a significant efficiency. The Asmari crude oil biodegradation in 90 g/L NaCl containing media was investigated by turbidity measurement, GC-FID and TPH analyses. The results showed that the aliphatic hydrocarbons including: small C11–C12 and long chains: C31–C33, are mostly favored by strain KWPA-12. Anthracene: a tri-ring and one of the most dominant poly-aromatic compounds of Asmari crude oil, was reduced down to about 1.1% of the starting moiety. Phylogenetic investigations performed on the partial 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain belongs to the genus Halomonas and it fell into the Halomonas elongata clade.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the research office of Water deputy at Khuzestan Water and Power Authority (KWPA) as a part of the project: Investigation of the Microbioecology of saline sulfur springs related to Tembi River. Great thanks to Shadi Marashi for helping us to direct the project.

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  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mohammad Roayaei Ardakani

  2. Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Moslem Papizadeh

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  1. Mohammad Roayaei Ardakani
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Correspondence to Mohammad Roayaei Ardakani.

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Ardakani, M.R., Papizadeh, M. Biodegradation of crude oil by Halomonas elongata strain KWPA-12: a moderately halophilic strain detected in oil spills around Garo sulfidic springs, MIS Oilfield, Iran. Energ. Ecol. Environ. 4, 26–36 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-018-0107-x

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