Isolation and screening of hydrocarbon degrading microbes from oil contaminated sites at Ranchi, Jharkhand

Swati Shallika^a*,  Agatha Khalkho^a & K.K.Gupta^b
aDept. of Botany & Biotechnology, Marwari College, R.U., Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
^bDept. of Zoology, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag, Jharkhand, India.

Received  10th April.,2012; Revised 25th June, 2012

Abstract : Environmental pollution with petroleum and petrochemical products (complex mixture of hydrocarbon) has been recognized as one of the most important serious current problem. Many microorganisms have the ability toutilise hydrocarbon as the sole source of carbon and energy. Such microorganisms are widely distributed in nature. For the present study the soil samples were collected from oil contaminated site at Ranchi Jharkhand. This paper details the isolation and screening of hydrocarbon resistant bacteria. Minimal salts medium supplemented with trace element and hydrocarbon substrate (petrol and diesel) were used for the isolation of hydrocarbon degrading microbes. During investigation, three hydrocarbon tolerant/resistant bacterial strains have been isolated. The growth potential of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria on petrol and diesel was also observed in order to evaluate the capability of bacterial strain in order to degrade the crude oil under in vitro condition.