Diesel oil and PCB-degrading psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from antarctic seawaters (Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea)

Fifty-seven Antarctic marine bacteria were examined for their ability to degrade commercial diesel oil as the sole organic substrate at both 4degreesC and 20degreesC. Based on the preliminary screening, two isolates (B11 and B15) with high capacity to degrade diesel oil were selected and their biodegradation efficiency was quantified by gas chromatographic analysis. As expected for psychrotrophs, diesel oil biodegradation was slower at 4degreesC than at 20degreesC. The two strains also mineralized the C-28 n-paraffin octacosane at 20degreesC and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at 4degreesC and 20degreesC.