Abstract
The aim of this work was to isolate indigenous PAH degrading-fungi from petroleum contaminated soil and exogenous ligninolytic strains from decaying-wood, with the ability to secrete diverse enzyme activity. A total of ten ligninolytic fungal isolates and two native strains, has been successfully isolated, screened and identified. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the indigenous fungi (KBR1 and KB8) belong to the genus Aspergillus niger and tubingensis. While the ligninolytic exogenous PAH-degrading strains namely KBR1-1, KB4, KB2 and LB3 were affiliated to different genera like Syncephalastrum sp, Paecilomyces formosus, Fusarium chlamydosporum, and Coniochaeta sp., respectively. Basis on the taxonomic analysis, enzymatic activities and the hydrocarbons removal rates, single fungal culture employing the strain LB3, KB4, KBR1 and the mixed culture (LB3+KB4) were selected to be used in soil microcosms treatments. The Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), fungal growth rates, BOD5/COD ratios and GC-MS analysis, were determined in all soil microcosmos treatments (SMT) and compared with those of the control (SMU). After 60 days of culture incubation, the highest rate of TPH degradation was recorded in SMT[KB4] by approximately 92±2.35% followed by SMT[KBR1] then SMT[LB3+KB4] with 86.66±1.83% and 85.14±2.21%, respectively.