Biodegradation of Carbazole and Dibenzothiophene by Bacteria Isolated from Petroleum-Contaminated Sites

ABSTRACT

This study reports the isolation of bacterial cultures, capable of selective removal of nitrogen and sulfur from carbazole and dibenzothiophene, respectively. The isolates utilizing carbazole were found to be suitable for biorefining. These were designated as P10 and P11, and were identified as Pseudomonas sp. Growing cells of P10 and P11 could utilize 77% carbazole in 250 and 120 h, respectively. Isolates showing utilization of dibenzothiophene were not suitable for biorefining industry. Results suggest these Pseudomonas isolates may be useful in petroleum biorefining for the selective removal of organically bound nitrogen from petroleum.

KEYWORDS:

• biorefining
• carbazole
• dibenzothiophene
• Gibbs assay

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

G.B.S. would like to thank JIIT for providing research fellowship and Prof. Hideaki Nojiri, University of Tokyo, for gifting Pseudomonas resinovorans CA10 strain.