Screening of diesel oil degrading bacteria from petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil

Four bacterial strains were isolated from diesel contaminated soil in TVS oil depot, Trichy, Tamil Nadu. From the soil sample four morphologically different bacterial species were isolated and the active strains were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. putida, Arthobacter sp and Bacillus sp. The diesel degrading efficiency of isolated organisms was tested in BH medium supplemented with diesel and DCPIP for 14 days. Among the four isolated species incubated and monitored in diesel supplemented medium for 14 days, the maximum diesel biodegradability was noticed in P. putida sp at fourth day itself and a TPC 64 x 10 CFU at a temperature of 30°C and pH 5. This study revealed a qualitative evaluation of potentials of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria degradation of hydrocarbon. Thereby giving a measureable ability of these groups of bacterial possible use in hydrocarbon impacted soil remediation.