Biodegradation is a cost effective and eco-friendly treatment for oil-contaminated materials by the use of microorganisms. The principal hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms are bacteria and fungi. Microorganisms can degrade oil and petroleum as an energy source and this may provide an enormous scope to remediate soils contaminated with petroleum and oil contents. The present study is an attempt to isolate and find out oil and hydrocarbon degrading fungi from oil and petroleum contaminated region of Jabalpur. Total 5 fungal strains were isolated; they had towering capability to degrade the hydrocarbon and oil. Those fungal isolates were Aspergillus sp., Popularia sp., Geotrichum sp., Periconia sp. and one isolate was unidentified among them. The biodegradation of hydrocarbons and oil was determined by using spectrophotometric and Diethyl ether analysis. Results were recorded in the form of biodegradation percentage and optical density of hydrocarbon. There are numerous problems dealing with petroleum contaminated soil and seawater, which can be easily resolved in favor of human health and natural environment. The present study and their results can give unique prospects in the field of bioremediation and biodegradation of petroleum contaminated soil and seawater.
Soil fungi, hydrocarbon, petroleum, oil, biodegradation
