Hydrocarbon Degradation Potentials of Yeast Isolates from a Polluted Lagoon

Abstract
The population counts of heterotrophic and hydrocarbon-utilising yeasts were monitored at six sampling stations in the Lagos lagoon over a four-week period. Although the population counts were relatively constant in each locality, the highest counts occurred in areas heavily polluted by domestic and industrial effluents. A total of thirty-two hydrocarbon-degrading yeasts were isolated from water at the sampling stations using n-hexadecane as sole carbon source. The isolates were identified as belonging to the genera Candida (25 strains), Endomycopsis (4 strains) and Schizosaccharomyces (3 strains). All the organisms grew on long-chain n-alkane, kerosene, diesel oil and crude oil but failed to grow on short-chain n-alkane, aromatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons. Measurement of growth attributes of the isolates using n-hexadecane, diesel oil oil and crude oil as substrates showed that the Candida species were better utilizers of hydrocarbon substrates relative to Endomycopsis and Schizosaccharomyces species.
Description
Keywords
Hydrocarbons, Biodegradation, Yeast
Citation
Amund, O.O. and Nwokoye, N. (1993) Hydrocarbon Degradation Potentials of Yeast Isolates from a Polluted Lagoon. Journal of Scientific Research and Development 1.