Abstract
The capacity of 133 fungal endophyte isolates for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons was evaluated. The endophytes were isolated from leaf and stem tissues from 23 plants collected in a natural habitat contaminated with crude oil in southwestern Ecuador. Their capacity for hydrocarbon biodegradation was tested by an in vitro colorimetric qualitative test during 10 days, using the Minimal Salt Medium and crude oil as the carbon source. Taxonomic identification of the endophytic fungi that showed bioactivity in the qualitative test was carried out by analysis of the ITS gene of the region 18S of the rDNA. Endophytes showed the best results in the previous qualitative test where selected for a quantitative in vitro test for 30 days. Residual hydrocarbons were tracked by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector. The maximum removal rates of total petroleum hydrocarbons were 99.6% (IR) and 99.8% (GC), corresponding to fungi of the genus Verticillium sp. and Xylaria sp. 1 respectively. This is the first report of biodegradation of crude oil hydrocarbons by endophytic fungi in a tropical ecosystem. The results suggest these fungal isolates are potential hydrocarbon biodegraders that could be used in bioremediation processes.
Highlights
Petroleum is a non-renewable resource of economic importance for several countries [1], including Ecuador
This study demonstrates the potential for using fungal endophytes in biodegradation of crude oil, either through biotechnological applications or by improving phytoremediation strategies aiding plants to tolerate contaminant-induced stress, especially in countries with economies based on fossil fuel exploitation
We identified six endophytic fungi that showed Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon removal rates higher than 90% after 30 days of incubation
Summary
Petroleum is a non-renewable resource of economic importance for several countries [1], including Ecuador. Crude oil exploitation is a highly contaminant industry. Water and soil pollution might occur in any stage of production. In a highly biodiverse country, as Ecuador, the impact on habitats. Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) are categorized into four broad classes of chemical compounds, namely, the aliphatic, aromatic, resin-based, and asphaltene-based hydrocarbons. Each group possesses different physicochemical characteristics and susceptibility to degradation [4] [5]
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