Biodegradation of Crude Oil Using Aspergillus species

Abstract

Biodegradation of crude oil is a process that utilizes the capability of microorganism to degrade toxic pollutant in the environment. In the present study, three fungal species were isolated from the soil contaminated with crude oil in the oil fields in Basrah. The fungal species belongs to the genus Aspergillus, which are A. flavus ,A .fumigatus and  A .versicolar. Their ability to biodegrade crude oil was tested as single isolates for 15 and 30 days of incubation in the mineral salts medium,the results showed that the fungus A. flavus was the best, with biodegradation ability reaching 60% in 15 days and 80% in 30 days .

Keywords:crude oil, fungi, biodegradation.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-4-09