Published Paper Details:

Microbial degradation is the major and ultimate natural mechanism that can clean up the petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants from the environment, whereas the contamination of soil is due to release of hydrocarbons in environment and causes extensive damage to local ecosystem. During present investigation eight species of six genera of fungi have been isolated and identified soil contaminated with petrol / petroleum products that facilitate the candidacy as bioremediation agents. Fungal isolates have been screened for their ability to degrade petroleum product (Petrol, Diesel and Mobil oil) and all fungal isolates exhibited degrading ability whereas the highest potential was observed in Curvularia lunata and the ability of other fungal isolates were found as Curvularia lunata > Fusarium solani > Aspergillus niger > Aspergillus fumigates > Penicillium notatum >Fusarium oxysporum > Rhizopus nigricans > Mucor sp. Myco-degrading potential of fungal isolates revealed that - Curvularia lunata, Fusarium solani and Aspergillus niger have the ability to degrade petrol/petroleum product. Hence this strain can be used in cleaning oil polluted sites to protect the soil and environment.Ultimately findings revealed the extents to which the isolate could degrade crude oil hydrocarbon.