Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Degradation by Alcanivorax Spp. Dominant Microbial Community from Beach Sediments: Implications for Bioremediation of Oil Polluted Marine Environment

Abstract

Biodegradation of crude oil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Alcanivorax Spp. dominant microbial community isolated from beach sediments in a site around St Mary’s Lighthouse near Whitley Bay, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom with geo-reference: N 55⁰ 04 ' 18'', W 01⁰ 26 ' 59'' was investigated. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) studied were naphthalene, C1-C3 naphthalenes, fluorene, phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed in the determination of the PAHs. Obtained results indicate that the microbial community degraded naphthalene, C1- naphthalene, C2-naphthalene and C3- naphthalene at 60, 72 , 90 and 42% biodegradation respectively whereas the three fused rings, fluorene, phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene were degraded at 23, 9 and 9% biodegradation respectively. However, it is not quite clear which bacterial genera was responsible for the biodegradation of the PAHs as we have not provided any evidence that Alcanivorax Spp. was solely responsible for the degradation of the PAHs.

Keywords: Alcanivorax Spp; Microbial community; Biodegradation; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Crude oil