Abstract

Identification and Characterization of an Indigenous Hydrocarbonoclastic Bacterial Strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia newly Isolated from Seawater and Marine Sediments of Oran Harbor Northwestern Algeria

Author(s): Bendadeche Faiza, Baba Hamed Mohamed Bey and Abi Ayad Sidi-Mohammed El-Amine

Microorganisms have an important role in the bioremediation of petroleum contaminants that cause great concern about their persistent toxicity, carcinogenicity and difficult elimination. In this study, crude oil-degrading bacterial strain SP54N was isolated from the contaminated marine sediments and seawater at the harbor of Oran, Northwestern Algeria, using Bushnell-Hass salt medium. This strain could support high concentrations of crude oil (up to 10% v/v), and was identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by sequencing and analyzing the 16s rDNA with the BLAST program on the NCBI website. The effects of pH, temperature and salinity on rate growth of strain SP54N, in BHSM medium supplemented with 2% (v/v) of crude oil as sole carbon and energy source, were studied. The results show that maximum growth rate was obtained at pH 7, temperature 25°C and 3% (w/v) of salinity, at 140 rpm. Moreover, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia could effectively utilize crude oil as its sole carbon and energy source. Therefore, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia SP54N can be used as an excellent degrader to develop one eco-friendly and cost-effective method for the bioremediation of harbor of Oran, as indigenous bacteria, and marine environments polluted by oil and petroleum hydrocarbons, and could be useful for biotechnological applications.