Preliminary identification and classification of five new yeast strains isolated from oil-polluted environment.

Bioremediation is a very interesting alternative for restoring the oil-polluted ecosystems. Many studies concerning the possibility of using microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) in the degradation of oil compounds have as starting point the isolation and taxonomical identification of new species and strains with degradative abilities. Our study focusses on the preliminary classification of five yeast strains (D1, D2, D3, D4 and D6) isolated from oil-polluted environments. The strains were characterized by conventional taxonomical techniques: microscopical and macroscopical appearance, fermentation abilities, assimilation of various carbon or nitrogen compounds, growth under stress conditions (non-permissive temperatures, high glucose concentration) and urea degradation. According to these tests, D1, D2 and D4 showed great similarity to Rhodotorula glutinis, D3 to Candida parapsilosis and D6 to Candida tropicalis. Further supplementary tests were performed in order to establish their ability to degrade hydrocarbons, by observing growth in media with n-alkanes (n-decane, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane, n-hexadecane). Thus, D1, D2 and D4 were the best alkane-consuming strains, presenting possible similar degrading abilities and pathways, which correlates well to our identification as Rhodotorula strains. For D3 and D6 the growth was not so spectacular as for D1, D2 and D4, but continuous along the entire experiment. The resemblance between the curves profiles confirms the idea that both belong to the same genus, Candida.