Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ROLE OF INDIGENOUS MICROORGANISMS IN UTILISING THE LIGHTER FRACTIONS OF CRUDE OH POLLUTANTS FROM THE VICINITY, OF OIL RIGS

Madhumita Barooah, S.A.S. Rahman, K. Saikia, H.P. Borthakur and P.C. Deka

Abstract

Soils collected from different sites within the vicinity of oil rigs of Oil And Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) in Barhola were used isolation of micoorganisms capable of utilising n-hexane extractable crude oil. Represented of the isolates suggested that fungi represented a major part of the soil microflora able to utilise lighter fraction of the cride oil. Both shake and stationary culture conditions were maintained to evaluate the efficiency of the hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms. Results indicated that performance of the microorganisms was better under shake culture conditions. Both fungi and bacteria utilised n-hexane extractable crude oil faster than whole crude oil.