Isolation, Screening, and Characterization of Naphthalene-Degrading Bacteria from Zarand Mine, Iran

PAHs are aromatic hydrocarbons with two or more fused benzene rings. They are formed during the thermal breakdown of organic molecules and their succeeding recombination. Naphthalene is the simplest (PAHs) that is carcinogenic. Bioremediation method is considered as an economical and safe approach for the elimination of aromatic compounds from environment. The bacteria were capable to grow on various hydrocarbons like naphthalene. The aim of this research is to isolate and identify naphthalene-degrading bacteria from the coal mine of Zarand. Four samples of water and sludge from various sites of the mine were collected. These sites include the following: Main coal vacate site (MC), Inoculum Sump site (IB), Sludge aggregate site (SA), and Near sludge aggregate site (NF). In this study, 12 bacterial strains that utilize naphthalene at initial concentration 200 mg/L (ppm) as carbon and energy sources for growth were isolated from the Zarand mine in Iran. In addition, bacterial cell density was assayed by measuring the OD600. In addition, total naphthalene-degrading bacteria were quantified with the most probable number (MPN) procedure using microtiter plates and the colony-forming unit (CFU) method. The results had shown that most of the naphthalene degrader bacteria aggregated in (SA) site. Six bacteria, isolated from wastewater and oil-contaminated soil showed great potential as naphthalene degraders up to 400 (ppm) and selected for biochemical characteristics. Naphthalene tolerance of the strains in various concentrations of naphthalene indicates that the strain 38 N can grow best at 600 (ppm) naphthalene. This strain was identified based on 16S rRNA gene analysis that showed belonging to Sphingobacterium multivorum AHB38N.