Characterization of 2T engine oil degrading indigenous bacteria, isolated from high altitude (Mussoorie), India

The biodegradability of petroleum hydrocarbons such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-branched alkanes etc. of 2T engine oil were studied in aqueous media using bacterial strain isolated from petroleum contaminated soil of high altitude. Out of five petroleum degrading bacterial strain one of the most growing bacteria was identified as Enterobacter strain by morphological, physiological, biochemical and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA. This strain was capable of degrading 75 +/- A 3% of n-alkanes, 32 +/- A 5% PAHs, and the abiotic loss was 24 +/- A 6% during 10 days incubation period. 85 +/- A 2% of n-alkanes and 51 +/- A 3% PAHs were biodegraded in 20 days. The abiotic loss during this period was 15 +/- A 3%. In 30 days of incubation period 98% +/- A 1% n-alkanes and 75 +/- A 3% PAHs were degraded. As expected abiotic losses were smaller with increasing long chain alkanes and PAH's concentration. An increment in oil degradation was correlated to an increase in cell number indicating that the bacterial isolate was responsible for the oil degradation. The hydrocarbon contents were measured by Shimadzu QP-2000 Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry by ULBON HR-1 column.