Statistical Optimization of Crude Oil Degradation using Bacterial Consortium and their Enzymes

The present study investigated the application of central composite design in enhanced crude oil remediation using bacterial consortium. The bacterial strains viz. KG-2, SMG-8, NR-3 and OK-6(2) isolated from soil were selected for the crude oil utilization studies. The strains were identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri-KX344913, P. stutzeri-KX289657, Providencia rettgeri-KX289656 and P. rettgeri-KX344914 respectively using 16s rDNA sequence. The preliminary degradation was done using the DCPIP redox-indicator and further degradation was conducted by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and the analysis of variance and regression model. CCD model was developed and batch experiments were performed to understand the significance of the four variables (pH, temperature, salinity and inoculum concentration) on the TPH degradation process by applying CCD based RSM.