Abstract
AramcoS2 and AramcoS4 are two bacterial strains that were isolated from oil-contaminated soil and able to degrade crude petroleum. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was used to identify residues of petroleum after biodegradation. The two isolates were able reduce the concentration of long-chain n-alkanes of C10 to C20; (n-decane, n-undecane, n-dodecane, n-tridecane, ntetradecane, n-pentadecane, n-hexadecane, n-heptadecane, n-octadecane n-nonadecane, and n-eicosane) on average by 77% of the original concentration. They were also able to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including biphenyl, naphthalene, and anthracene on average by 67% of the original concentration within 7 and 14 days of incubation at 30oC, pH=6.8 +/- 0.2. AramcoS2 and S4 were classified as Actinobacteria based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences (GenBank accession numbers are; AramcoS2; MN142506 and AramcoS4; MN142551). They should be of great practical significance both in the bioremediation of soil contaminated with petroleum and the bio-treatment of oil spills on surface water.