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Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and thiols (RSH) generated by the phosphate industry cause harmful effects on human health and quality of life. The present study aims to investigate and evaluate a bacterial strain CAT37 isolated from gas-washing wastewaters in terms of its properties and ability to degrade malodorous thiols. Gas-washing wastewater samples were submitted to physicochemical analyses and used for the isolation of thiol-degrading bacteria. The results from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the isolated strain CAT37 was able to oxidize ∼99% of each thiol, decanethiol and dodecanethiol used as sole carbon and energy sources after 30 days of incubation at 37°C. The strain CAT37 displayed a biodegradative potential on several thiols known by their toxicity and odors. The results from phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis revealed that the CAT37 isolate belonged to the genus Brevibacillus, showing the highest sequence similarity to Brevibacillus agri. Overall, the results indicated that the strain CAT37 exhibited a number of attractive biodegradation abilities against thiols and could be considered a promising candidate for industrial application in future thiol biodeodorization strategies., (© FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Two yeast strains are enriched and isolated from industrial refinery wastewater. These strains were observed for their ability to utilize several classes of petroleum hydrocarbons substrates, such as n-alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons as a sole carbon source. Phylogenetic analysis based on the D1/D2 variable domain and the ITS-region sequences indicated that strains HC1 and HC4 were members of the genera Candida and Trichosporon, respectively. The mechanism of hydrocarbon uptaking by yeast, Candida, and Trichosporon has been studied by means of the kinetic analysis of hydrocarbons-degrading yeasts growth and substrate assimilation. Biodegradation capacity and biomass quantity were daily measured during twelve days by gravimetric analysis and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry techniques. Removal of n-alkanes indicated a strong ability of hydrocarbon biodegradation by the isolated yeast strains. These two strains grew on long-chain n-alkane, diesel oil, and crude oil but failed to grow on short-chain n-alkane and aromatic hydrocarbons. Growth measurement attributes of the isolates, using n-hexadecane, diesel oil, and crude oil as substrates, showed that strain HC1 had better degradation for hydrocarbon substrates than strain HC4. In conclusion, these yeast strains can be useful for the bioremediation process and decreasing petroleum pollution in wastewater contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons.

A biosurfactant-producing bacterium (Staphylococcus sp. strain 1E) was isolated from an Algerian crude oil contaminated soil. Biosurfactant production was tested with different carbon sources using the surface tension measurement and the oil displacement test. Olive oil produced the highest reduction in surface tension (25.9 dynes cm(-1)). Crude oil presented the best substrate for 1E biosurfactant emulsification activity. The biosurfactant produced by strain 1E reduced the growth medium surface tension below 30 dynes cm(-1). This reduction was also obtained in cell-free filtrates. Biosurfactant produced by strain 1E showed stability in a wide range of pH (from 2 to 12), temperature (from 4 to 55 °C) and salinity (from 0 to 300 g l(-1)) variations. The biosurfactant produced by strain 1E belonged to lipopeptide group and also constituted an antibacterial activity againt the pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. Phenanthrene solubility in water was enhanced by biosurfactant addition. Our results suggest that the 1E biosurfactant has interesting properties for its application in bioremediation of hydrocarbons contaminated sites., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A continuously stirred tank bioreactor (CSTR) was used to optimize feasible and reliable bioprocess system in order to treat hydrocarbon-rich industrial wastewaters. A successful bioremediation was developed by an efficient acclimatized microbial consortium. After an experimental period of 225 days, the process was shown to be highly efficient in decontaminating the wastewater. The performance of the bioaugmented reactor was demonstrated by the reduction of COD rates up to 95%. The residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) decreased from 320 mg TPH l(-1) to 8 mg TPH l(-1). Analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 26 hydrocarbons. The use of the mixed cultures demonstrated high degradation performance for hydrocarbons range n-alkanes (C10-C35). Six microbial isolates from the CSTR were characterized and species identification was confirmed by sequencing the 16S rRNA genes. The partial 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that 5 strains were closely related to Aeromonas punctata (Aeromonas caviae), Bacillus cereus, Ochrobactrum intermedium, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Rhodococcus sp. The 6th isolate was affiliated to genera Achromobacter. Besides, the treated wastewater could be considered as non toxic according to the phytotoxicity test since the germination index of Lepidium sativum ranged between 57 and 95%. The treatment provided satisfactory results and presents a feasible technology for the treatment of hydrocarbon-rich wastewater from petrochemical industries and petroleum refineries., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)