Isolation and characterization of gasoline-degrading bacteria from gas station leaking-contaminated soils.

The effects of culture conditions in vitro and biosurfactant detection were studied on bacterial strains capable of degrading gasoline from contaminated soils near gas station. The main results were summarized as follows. Three bacteria (strains Q 10, Q14 and Q18) that were considered as efficiently degrading strains were isolated and identified as Pseudomonas sp., Flavobacterium sp. and Rhodococcus sp., respectively. The optimal growth conditions of three bacteria including pH, temperature and the concentration of gasoline were similar. The reduction in surface tension was observed with all the three bacteria, indicating the production of biosurfactant compounds. The value of surface tension reduced by the three strains Q10, Q14 and Q18 was 32.6 mN x m, 12.4 mNx m and 21.9 mN x m, respectively. Strain Q10 could be considered as a potential biosurfactant producer. Gasoline, diesel oil, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) could easily be degraded by the three isolates. The consortium was more effective than the individual cultures in degrading added gasoline, diesel oil, and BTEX. These results indicate that these strains have great potential for in situ remediation of soils contaminated by gas station leaking.