Hydrocarbon degradation strategy and pyoverdine production using the salt tolerant Antarctic bacterium Marinomonas sp. ef1.

One of the most concerning environmental problems is represented by petroleum and its derivatives causing contamination of aquatic and underground environments. In this work, the degradation treatment of diesel using Antarctic bacteria is proposed. Marinomonas sp. ef1 is a bacterial strain isolated from a consortium associated with the Antarctic marine ciliate Euplotes focardii. Its potential in the degradation of hydrocarbons commonly present in diesel oil were studied. The bacterial growth was evaluated in culturing conditions that resembled the marine environment with 1% (v/v) of either diesel or biodiesel added; in both cases, Marinomonas sp. ef1 was able to grow. The chemical oxygen demand measured after the incubation of bacteria with diesel decreased, demonstrating the ability of bacteria to use diesel hydrocarbons as a carbon source and degrade them. The metabolic potential of Marinomonas to degrade aromatic compounds was supported by the identification in the genome of sequences encoding various enzymes involved in benzene and naphthalene degradation. Moreover, in the presence of biodiesel, a fluorescent yellow pigment was produced; this was isolated, purified and characterized by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, leading to its identification as a pyoverdine. These results suggest that Marinomonas sp. ef1 can be used in hydrocarbon bioremediation and in the transformation of these pollutants in molecules of interest.

Automated summary

This study proposes the degradation treatment of diesel using Antarctic bacteria, which is one of the most concerning environmental problems caused by petroleum and its derivatives contaminating aquatic and underground environments. The bacterial strain Marinomonas sp. ef1, isolated from an Antarctic marine ciliate, showed the potential to degrade hydrocarbons commonly present in diesel oil. The bacteria were able to grow and degrade diesel hydrocarbons, indicating their potential use in bioremediation and transformation of these pollutants.