Tolerance of an estuarine halophilic archaebacterium to crude oil and constituent hydrocarbons

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 65; no. 6; pp. 725 - 731
• Main Authors: RAGHAVAN, T. M, FURTADO, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer-Verlag 01.12.2000
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Archaea - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Culture Media; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Halobacterium; Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Hydrocarbons - toxicity; India; India, Goa, Mandovi R; Marine and brackish environment; Petroleum - analysis; Petroleum - toxicity; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Arabian Sea; Indian Ocean; Asia; India; ISW, India, Goa; Hydrocarbon; Archaeobacteria; Halophily; Crude oil; Halobacteriales; Estuaries; Tolerance; Bacteria; Halobacterium; Water pollution; Halobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s001280000183

Halobacterium strain R sub(1) was isolated from the Mandovi estuary in Goa, India, and its response to crude oil and its constituent hydrocarbons was evaluated. The bacterium was exposed to the contaminants under both nutrient-rich and -limited conditions. Results showed that the presence of any one of the hydrocarbons, except for benzene/hexane/cyclohexane, decreased the growth of the culture. However, the response was governed by the nutrient environment: benzene, cyclohexane and hexane had little effect in either nutrient-rich or -limited media; toluene reduced growth in both media; and xylene, kerosene, diesel, gasoline, and crude oil caused significant to very strong inhibition in the nutrient-rich medium and slight improvement in the nutrient-limited medium.