Optimization of an Autochthonous Bacterial Consortium Obtained from Beach Sediments for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Perdigao, R (Author) Other; Marisa M R Almeida (Author) FCUP; Santos, F (Author) Other; Carvalho, MF (Author) Other; Mucha, AP (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Water

Vol. 129

Final page: 66

ISSN: 2073-4441

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 14 Citations

Scopus - 18 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00T-B01

DOI: 10.3390/w13010066

Abstract (EN): Oil spill pollution remains a serious concern in marine environments and the development of effective oil bioremediation techniques are vital. This work is aimed at developing an autochthonous hydrocarbon-degrading consortium with bacterial strains with high potential for hydrocarbons degradation, optimizing first the growth conditions for the consortium, and then testing its hydrocarbon-degrading performance in microcosm bioremediation experiments. Bacterial strains, previously isolated from a sediment and cryopreserved in a georeferenced microbial bank, belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter. Microcosms were assembled with natural seawater and petroleum, for testing: natural attenuation (NA); biostimulation (BS) (nutrients addition); bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in petroleum (BA/P) and bioaugmentation with inoculum pre-grown in acetate (BA/A). After 15 days, a clear blending of petroleum with seawater was observed in BS, BA/P and BA/A but not in NA. Acetate was the best substrate for consortium growth. BA/A showed the highest hydrocarbons degradation (66%). All bacterial strains added as inoculum were recovered at the end of the experiment. This study provides an insight into the capacity of autochthonous communities to degrade hydrocarbons and on the use of alternative carbon sources for bacterial biomass growth for the development of bioremediation products to respond to oil spills.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17