Abstract

LOZANO-MAHECHA, Roxana Andrea  and  LOPEZ-LOPEZ, Karina. Isolation and characterization of Colombian endemic bacteria capable of degrading toluene. Rev. colomb. biotecnol [online]. 2022, vol.24, n.1, pp.6-18.  Epub Aug 31, 2022. ISSN 0123-3475.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rev.colomb.biote.v24n1.98613.

Monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), present in crude oil and refined petroleum products, they are the compounds with a big impact on the environment and human health, due to their carcinogenic, mutagenic, and highly toxic. This research aimed to obtain and characterize bacteria capable of degrading toluene. Three samples of soil contaminated with hydrocarbons were carried out in three different conditions: oil station, accidental oil spill, and mechanical workshop. Bacteria capable of growing in toluene vapor as the unique carbon source were isolated and characterized at a morphological, biochemical, and molecular level. For molecular characterization, the 16S ribosomal gene was amplified, sequenced, and analyzed with bioinformatic tools. The use of direct toluene with 1% concentration as the sole carbon source was evaluated. It was possible to isolate 29 bacteria with the capacity to metabolize toluene. Biochemical and molecular characterization identified bacteria isolated from contaminated soil as Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas. The isolated strains in the mechanical workshop were the microorganisms with the best growth in toluene as a carbon source, they have great potential to be used for the bioremediation of soils and waters with toluene pollution.

Keywords : biodegradation; bioremediation; growth; Pseudomonas; xenobiotic compounds.

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