Abstract

Biodegradation of crude oil-A and -C and n-octadecane, by the Fusarium sp. F092 was investigated under saline conditions. In liquid saline culture, less crude oil-C (56%) than crude oil-A (89%) was degrade which was increased by the addition of optimum surfactant T80 (78%) or T40 (67%), or Mn2+ (67%). In sea sand contaminated with crude oil-C, the degradation was higher than in soil which indicated that F092 was suitable to degrade oil under saline conditions. The metabolites of the aliphatic fraction with n-octadecane were identified to form six carboxylic acid groups, where the dioxygenase and monooxygenase inhibitor influenced the degradation of n-octadecane. This suggested that F092 could initially convert n-octadecane to form octadecyl peroxides by a dioxygenase and was further catalyzed to produce carboxylic acid. F092 is a potential degrader for bioremediation in crude oil-contaminated saline environments.