Some petroleum-utilizing bacterial isolates from Saudi Arabian soil

ABSTRACT

Microbial degradation of oil remains the best candidate for rapid and efficient removal of accidental pollution of the environment. Several bacterial species were isolated from urbian soil, obtained from different geographical areas in the kingdom, which could grow on synthetic medium containing whole petroleum as a carbon source. All isolates grew on upto 4% of the oil and on three types of oils from different sources. Most isolates belonged to the actinomycetes including Coryneform group and streptomyces. Gas chromatographic analysis of growth-exhausted oils showed the ability of some strains to utilize many components of these oils, While others could utilize low molecular weight components only