The characterization of oil-degrading microorganisms from lubricating oil contaminated (scale) soil.
OBJECTIVE
To isolate and characterize oil-degrading microorganisms from contaminated (scale) soil.


RESULTS
Oil-degrading microorganisms were isolated from enrichment cultures of scale soil. Each isolate was identified using 16S rDNA gene and oil degradability was determined on both unused and used lubricating oil. The weight of the extracted remaining oil revealed that most isolates degraded unused lubricating oil more than used lubricating oil. Chemical composition of oil analysed by TLC-FID and GC-MS demonstrated that Nocardia simplex W9 degraded used oil the best, and resulted in a decrease in saturates, aromatics and resins to 52.46, 38.13 and 18.81%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Nocardia simplex W9 is the best degrader, among all the isolates, on both used and unused lubricating oil.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of Nocardia simplex W9 in scale soil enables iron to be recycled by biodegradation.
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008153:Lubrication; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000378:metabolism*; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008899:Mineral Oil