Bacteria are diverse and abundant in soils, but
only a few bacteria have known to grow on hydrocarboncontaminated
areas and utilize complex carbon source such
as crude oil for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate
(bioremediation potential and the ability to produce important
biopolymers). Among 32 samples collected from several
sites of petroleum refinery soil and oily sludge of Iranian
southwestern refineries, 45 oil-degrading pseudomonads
were identified, and 33 % of the isolated
Pseudomonas
strains were able to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate using
Gachsaran crude oil (2 % v/v) as carbon source. The repeated
monomer composition of the copolymer produced
from Gachsaran crude oil was determined by gas chromatography/
mass spectrometry. The produced monomers
composites contained: C
8 (3-hydroxyoctanoate), C
10 (3-
hydroxydecanoate), C
12 (2-hydroxydodecanoate), C
14 (3-
hydroxytetradecanoate), and C
16 (3-hydroxydecahexanoate),
which are known as biopolymers. This study
indicates oil-contaminated areas can be important sources
for polyhydroxyalkanoate producers which can be used
for the bioremediation of crude-oil-polluted sites; also
polyhydroxyalkanoate has a functional role in bacterial
survival and stress tolerance in the toxic environments and
poor nutrient availability.
