Abstract
Oil-polluted freshwater samples collected from Assiut oil company, Egypt, were screened for hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms (bacteria and fungi). Two hydrocarbons (naphthalene and anthracene) were used as a sole source of carbon.
Most Probable Number (MPN) technique was used to determine naphthalene and anthracene-utilizing bacteria. Micrococcus, Corynebacterium, Nocardia and Pseudomonas were recovered on basal medium supplemented with the hydrocarbons. Numbers of bacteria decreased as the pollution in water increased. Eleven species and 1 variety belonging to 8 terrestrial fungal genera were collected from oil polluted water on naphthalene or anthracene modified CZAPEK agar medium. Aspergillus (A. flavus var. columnaris) and Scopulariopsis (S. brumptii) were the most prevalent genera. 75.4 and 24.6% of total bacterial isolates utilized naphthalene and anthracene with different ranges of turbidity, respectively.