Two bacterial strains, i.e. Pseudomonas mendocina and Ochrobactrum sp.
were isolated from bilge oil contaminated water of Mormugao harbour,
Goa, India and grown in a culture medium with hexadecane as the sole
carbon source. Pseudomonas mendocina was used in further studies as it
was the dominant strain. This strain effectively degraded tetradecane,
hexadecane and octadecane leaving a residual concentration of about 73
%, 54 % and 40 % respectively in 120 h. Sequence analysis of the
dominant bands from the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
profiles revealed the differences between the genera of bilge oil
contaminated sea water and its enrichment culture on hexadecane
indicating a shift in community structure based on the type of
substrate available. Pseudomonas mendocina amplified for the following
catabolic genes namely C23O, nid and ndo. Based on the catabolic gene
study the potential of the bacterial strain isolated, i.e. Pseudomonas
mendocina seems to be interesting as it will be able to degrade
polyaromatic hydrocarbons as well. Physicochemical properties of
Pseudomonas mendocina indicates production of exopolysaccharides based
on the value of its isoelectric point