Abstract
Microorganisms utilizing petroleum as substrate were screened from the seawater in Pusan coastal area. Among them, fifty strains utilized bunker-A oil as a sole carbon and energy source. Five of these fifty strains were selected to experiment this study. According to the taxonomic characteristics of its morphological, cultural and biochemical properties, the selected stains were named Pseudomonas sp. EL-12, Flavobacterium sp. EL-15, Acinetobacter sp. EL-18, Enterobacter sp. EL-27 and Micrococcus sp. EL-43, respectively. The optimal medium compositions and cultural conditions for assimilation of bunker-A oil by the selected strains were 1.5-2% bunker-A oil, 0.1% $NH_4NO_3$, 1-1.5% $MgSO_4$.$7H_2O$, 0.05-0.15% KCl, 0.1-0.15% $CaCl_2$.$2H_2O$, 2.5-3.5% NaCl, initial pH 8-9, temperature 3$0^{\circ}C$ and aeration, respectively. The utilization and degradation characteristics on the various hydrocarbons by the selected stains were showed that bunker oil, n-alkane and branched alkane compounds were highly activity than cyclic alkane and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.
