title: Biodegradation of fluoranthene by a newly isolated strain of Bacillus stratosphericus from Mediterranean seawater of the Sfax fishing harbour, Tunisia.
abstract: A physico-chemical characterization of seawater taken from the fishing harbour of Sfax, Tunisia, revealed a contamination by organic and inorganic micropollutants. An aerobic marine halotolerant Bacillus stratosphericus strain FLU5 was isolated after enrichment on fluoranthene, a persistent and toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). GC-MS analyses showed that strain FLU5 was capable of degrading almost 45 % of fluoranthene (100 mg l(-1)), without yeast extract added, after 30 days of incubation at 30 g l(-1) NaCl and 37 °C. In addition, the isolate FLU5 showed a remarkable capacity to grow on a wide range of aliphatic, aromatic and complex hydrocarbons. This strain could also synthesize a biosurfactant which was capable of reducing the surface tension of the cell-free medium, during the growth on fluoranthene. The biodegradative abilities of PAHs are promising and can be used to perform the bioremediation strategies of seawaters and marine sediments contaminated by hydrocarbons.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Dorra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hentati
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Alif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chebbi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loukil
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kchaou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory INRA of Environmental Biotechnology, Avenue des Etangs, F-11100, Narbonne, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Godon
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayadi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, LMI COSYS-Med, University of Sfax, PO Box 1177, 3018, Sfax, Tunisia. mohamed.chamkha@cbs.rnrt.tn.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chamkha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D005449:Fluorenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; C007738:fluoranthene
keywords: Bacillus stratosphericus; Biodegradation; Fishing harbour; Fluoranthene; PAHs; Pollution