Anthracene degradation by an oligotrophic bacterium isolated from refinery soil

Anthracene is a widespread environmental pollutant with carcinogenic and genotoxicproperties. biodegradation is a simple, cost-effective and safe technique to clean-upcontaminated environments. the aims of this study are isolation and characterization of anoligotrophic bacterium with the ability to degrade anthracene and assessment of in vitrobiodegradation process. for this purpose petroleum contaminated soil was collected fromisfahan refinery. soil sample was found to be neutral and slightly saline with highconcentration of anthracene. the population of total heterotrophic bacteria and anthracenedegrading bacteria were 2.50 × 103 and 1.96 × 103 cfu/g, respectively. seven anthracenedegrading bacteria were isolated using enrichment culture technique in basal salt medium(bsm) supplemented with 50 mg/l anthracene. an oligotrophic bacterium was selectedbased on growth on carbon free medium. this isolate was identified as methylobacteriumrhodesianum atai15, submitted to genbank under accession number of kc469989.1. thebiodegradation rate of 50 mg/l anthracene by this isolate during 9 days was 41.2%,determined by gas chromatography. this bacterium was adapted to survive in nutrientdeficient medium and high concentration of anthracene (up to 12000 mg/l). use of thisisolate with other pah degrading bacteria can be effective in bioremediation of pollutedenvironments.