Diesel biodegradation by biosurfactant producing Paenibacillus strains.
Devale A, Sawant R, Pable A, Pardesi K, Mujumdar S
Phytoremediation
Contaminated soil from fuel spills can linger in gardens, community plots, and urban green spaces for decades — these bacteria offer a way to restore that ground using nothing but microbes already adapted to soil environments.
Scientists tested a group of soil bacteria called Paenibacillus to see if they could eat and break down diesel fuel. Two species worked especially well together, dissolving the oily fuel and cleaning up contaminated dirt. In a lab soil test over three months, their bacterial team broke down nearly half the diesel present — a promising sign for cleaning up polluted land naturally.
Key Findings
A consortium of two Paenibacillus species achieved 34.63% diesel degradation in 10 days under optimized lab conditions (37°C, pH 6.5, 5% diesel)
Laboratory-scale soil bioremediation over three months yielded 44.78% diesel degradation, confirmed by gas chromatography
Three strains showed high emulsification activity (>240 EU/ml) and four reduced surface tension below 40 mN/m, indicating strong biosurfactant production
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers found that two bacterial strains naturally found in soil can break down diesel fuel, cleaning up oil-contaminated ground without harsh chemicals. Working together, these bacteria degraded nearly 45% of diesel in contaminated soil over three months.
Abstract Preview
This study addresses the need for eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions to remediate petroleum-contaminated soils. It explores the untapped potential of biosurfactant producing Paenibacillus st...
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