ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture Vol. 1 (3), pp. 024-027, September, 2013. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Aerobic dehalogenation activities of two petroleum degrading bacteria
1*Igbinosa O. Etinosa, 2Ajisebutu O. Stella and 1Okoh I. Anthony
1Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700 South Africa.
2 Department of Microbiology Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +2348028319562.
Accepted 31 June, 2013
Abstract
Two petroleum degrading bacteria were screened for 2,4-dichlorophenyacetic acid (2,4-D) degrading abilities and assessed for their dechlorination potentials. The bacterial isolates were previously identified to be Corynebacterium sp. (SOGU16) and Achromobacter sp. (SOGU11). Axenic cultures of the isolates metabolise 2,4-D as the sole source of carbon and energy. The optimum pH for dioxygenase specific activities was between 7.6 and 8.0 and the optimum temperature was between 30 and 35°C. The cell-free extracts of the cultures in the 2,4- D demonstrated biological degradation of the 2,4-D compound. The observations made in this study are sufficient to conclude that the isolates obtained have reasonable potentials for application in bioremediation of both petroleum and 2, 4-D contaminated sites.
Key words: 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic, bioremediation, petroleum degraders.