Biodegradation of hydrocarbon by marine-derived fungi isolated from oil-contaminated beach and mangrove soil in Western Visayas, Philippines

Abstract

Napocor Power Barge 103 was dislodged from its moorings and then slammed onto the rocky shoreline of Barangay Botongon when Typhoon Yolanda made a landfall in northern Iloilo on November 8, 2013. The oil spilled contaminated about a kilometre of Estancia's coastline and partly that of neighbouring town of Batad in Northern Iloilo, Western Visayas, Philippines. The present study aimed to isolate and evaluate hydrocarbon-degrading (singly or in combination) abillities of indigenous fungal flora from oil contaminated beach and mangrove soils in these areas. Results showed a total of twenty genera of marine-derived fungi were isolated. These genera included Acremonium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Monilia, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Verticillium and Yeast. Among the species, Aspergillus fumigatus obtained the highest frequency of occurrence (43.06%). Penicillium sp1 (EB331) got the highest value for individual category on TPH (64.70%) and PAH (43.42%) degradation. The consortium of Aspergillus fumigatus and Paecilomyces sp1, A+D obtained the highest values of 69.38% and 66.59% on the degradation of TPH and PAH with the increased efficacy of 13.61% and 42.41% on two species consortia. Moreover, the consortium composed of Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus cf. repens and Paecilomyces sp1, A+B+D also were the best degraders of TPH and PAH with the values of 67.87% and 66.95% and increased efficacy of . 13.33% and 47.10%, respectively.Aspergillus cf. repens (BB231) got the highest value (81.98%) on the degradation of alkanes. The consortium of Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger, A+C were the best alkane degraders at 77.93%with increased efficacy of 8.0%. Finally, the consortium of Aspergillus niger, Paeclomyces sp1 and Penicillium sp1, C+D+E recorded the highest value at 76.99% on the degradation of total alkanes with increased efficacy of 2.20%. This study has demonstrated the hydrocarbon-biodegradtion potential of tropical fungi isolated from oil contaminated habitats useful for future bioremediation activities.