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Degradation of Extra-Heavy Crude Oil by Fungi Isolated from Hydrothermal Vents Fields in the Gulf of California

Summary

Scientists discovered that certain fungi living in deep-sea hydrothermal vents can break down extra-heavy crude oil, a thick and difficult-to-treat form of petroleum. Among eight fungal species tested, Aspergillus sydowii was the most effective, degrading 40% of the crude oil in laboratory conditions. This research suggests these hardy deep-sea fungi could be used as a natural solution to clean up oil spills in extreme marine environments where traditional cleaning methods don’t work well.

Background

Microorganisms from hydrothermal vent fields in the Pescadero Basin represent a promising source for biotechnological applications due to their adaptation to extreme environments. The hydrocarbon seeps in the Pescadero Basin provide a natural precedent for native fungi capable of biodegrading crude oil, addressing the need for alternative approaches to mitigate ecological damage from extra-heavy crude oil spills.

Objective

To evaluate the ability of eight fungal isolates from hydrothermal vent sediments in the Pescadero Basin to bioconvert extra-heavy crude oil (EHCO) and identify promising candidates for bioremediation applications.

Results

Five fungal isolates demonstrated the ability to degrade EHCO, with Aspergillus sydowii showing the best performance, degrading 40% of total EHCO and 38.26% of the saturate fraction. Penicillium miczynskii degraded 17.1% of total EHCO, while Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium sp. 1 showed lower degradation rates of 16% and 11.6% respectively.

Conclusion

Aspergillus sydowii emerged as the most promising bioremediation agent, demonstrating exceptional capacity to biotransform EHCO components. The findings provide the first evidence of EHCO degradation by axenic fungal cultures from hydrothermal vents and suggest these extremophilic fungi as valuable resources for bioremediation applications in petroleum-contaminated environments.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Laboratory Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40873692, DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2025.2545629
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