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Bioremediation Potential of Indigenous Bacterial Isolates for Treating Petroleum Hydrocarbons-Induced Environmental Pollution

Summary

Scientists isolated three types of bacteria from soil near auto repair shops that can break down petroleum oil pollutants. When tested in the laboratory, these bacteria degraded between 55-83% of petroleum hydrocarbons over 12 days by converting them into simpler compounds. These findings suggest these naturally occurring bacteria could offer an affordable and environmentally-friendly way to clean up oil-contaminated soil without the harmful side effects of chemical cleanup methods.

Background

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination of soil from automotive activities poses significant environmental and health risks. Traditional physicochemical remediation methods are expensive, energy-intensive, and produce hazardous byproducts. Bioremediation using indigenous bacterial isolates offers a promising, cost-effective, and ecologically safe alternative for treating petroleum-contaminated sites.

Objective

This study aims to isolate and molecularly identify oil-degrading bacteria from contaminated soil in automobile workshops using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The research seeks to evaluate the petroleum hydrocarbon degradation capabilities of indigenous bacterial strains under environmentally relevant conditions specific to automobile workshop environments.

Results

Three bacterial isolates demonstrated significant oil degradation: S4 (Lysinibacillus macroides) degraded 57.8-58.1%, M8 (Serratia marcescens) degraded 60.2-61.5%, and M9 (S. marcescens) degraded 55.3-58.1% of petroleum hydrocarbons. GCMS analysis revealed S4 achieved 83.6% total hydrocarbon degradation, with M8 at 67.4% and M9 at 55.2%, indicating conversion of complex hydrocarbons into simpler compounds including organic acids, alcohols, esters, and phenolic compounds.

Conclusion

The three identified bacterial strains, particularly S4 (Lysinibacillus macroides), demonstrate significant potential for bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated sites. These indigenous isolates can utilize petroleum hydrocarbons as carbon and energy sources while producing specific metabolic transformations, offering an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective solution to petroleum hydrocarbon pollution.
  • Published in:ACS Omega,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39895734, DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c06434
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