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Aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from soil near Scott Base, Antarctica

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Abstract

Hydrocarbons persist in Antarctic soils when fuel oils such as JP8 jet fuel are spilled. For clean-up of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in Antarctica, bioremediation has been proposed using hydrocarbon-degrading microbes indigenous to Antarctic soils. A number of alkane-degrading bacteria have been isolated previously from Antarctic soils. In this paper we describe the direct isolation of aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from oil-contaminated Antarctic soil. Isolates that grew on JP8 jet fuel were characterised for their ability to degrade aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons and for growth at a range of temperatures. All isolates were gram-negative, oxidase-positive, rod-shaped bacteria. Representative strains were identified using 16S rDNA sequence analysis as either Sphingomonas spp. or Pseudomonas spp. Aromatic-degrading bacteria from Antarctic soils were psychrotolerant and appear similar to those found worldwide.

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Accepted: 27 September 1999

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Aislabie, J., Foght, J. & Saul, D. Aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from soil near Scott Base, Antarctica. Polar Biol 23, 183–188 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050025

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050025

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