Effect of Crude Oil Concentrations and pH on Growth and Degradation of Crude Oil by Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus luteus

Abstract

Two bacterial isolates Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus luteus were tested against the crude oil which was taken from a coastal area of Andhra Pradesh at Visakhapatnam ship yard. Bacteria showed optimum growth in the presence of the crude oil. The crude oil degrading bacteria Mirococcus luteus and Serratia marcescens were exposed to different pH conditions and growth was observed. Effect of crude oil concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.6%) on growth of bacteria and degradation of crude oil suggest that Serratia marcescens exhibited maximum growth (O.D-0.82) while Micrococcus luteus exhibited maximum growth at (O.D-0.76). The maximum degradation of 37.29% occurred at pH 7, while the minimum degradation of 23.52 % occurred at pH 9.

Keywords: Super bug, Hydrocarbon. Serratia marcescens, Micrococcus luteus