title: Biodegradation of hydrocarbon contamination by immobilized bacterial cells.
abstract: This study examined the capacity of immobilized bacteria to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. A mixture of hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial strains was immobilized in alginate and incubated in crude oil-contaminated artificial seawater (ASW). Analysis of hydrocarbon residues following a 30-day incubation period demonstrated that the biodegradation capacity of the microorganisms was not compromised by the immobilization. Removal of n-alkanes was similar in immobilized cells and control cells. To test reusability, the immobilized bacteria were incubated for sequential increments of 30 days. No decline in biodegradation capacity of the immobilized consortium of bacterial cells was noted over its repeated use. We conclude that immobilized hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria represent a promising application in the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated areas.
authors.affiliation: Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra, Malaysia. rnzaliha@biotech.upm.edu.my
authors.forename: Raja Noor Zaliha Abd
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Farinazleen Mohamad
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ghaza
authors.forename: Abu Bakar
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Salleh
authors.forename: Mahiran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basri
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates; D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D018914:Cells, Immobilized; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D020723:Glucuronic Acid