Isolation and Characterization of Thiophenic Sulfur Metabolizing Bacteria from Oil Contaminated Soil Samples

The escalating energy demand and fossil fuels consumption in recent years have increased sulfur oxide emission into the atmosphere which is one of the main contributors to air pollution. Biodesulfurization (BDS) is an emerging technology and the use of potent biocatalysts that can desulfurize a wide range of recalcitrant thiophenic compounds without altering their carbon structure is the need of the hour. In the current study, oil contaminated soil samples were collected to screen native desulfurizing bacteria. Three desulfurizing bacterial strains isolated using dibenzothiophene (DBT) as model thiophenic sulfur containing compound were identified on the basis of 16S rRNA gene PCR amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis as Tsukamurella sp. 3OW, Rhodococcus sp. 4OW, and Gordonia sp. 4OPK. Newly isolated bacteria were capable to use various symmetric and asymmetric thiophenic sulfur containing compounds as sulfur source. The use of a range of thiophenic sulfur containing compounds as sulfur source makes them potential candidates for biodesulfurization of sulfur loaded petroleum oils.