Efficiency of consortium for in-situ bioremediation and CO2 evolution method of refines petroleum oil in microcosms study

An in-situ bioremediation study was conducted in a laboratory by using mixed microbial consortium. An indigenous microbial consortium was developed by assemble of two Pseudomonas spp. and two Aspergillus spp. which were isolated from various oil contaminated sites of India. The laboratory feasibility study was conducted in a 225 m² block. Six treatment options-Oil alone, Oil+Best remediater, Oil+Bacterial consortium, Oil+Fungal consortium, Oil+Mixed microbial consortium, Oil+Indigenous microflora. Out of five treatments, the mixed microbial consortium (Block 5) degraded 55.12% refine petroleum oil compare to degradation of bacterial (Block 3) and Fungal consortium (Block 4) (i.e, degradation rate were 19.88% and 18.07% correspondingly) after the end of treatment (60 days). Bioremediation ability of this consortium was confirmed by CO₂ evolution method. The result showed that 136.36 % CO₂ release after 12 days incubation. 16r DNA sequencing showed that two bacterial species were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and morph taxonomical examination of fungus were Aspergillus terrus (At) and Aspergillus flavus (Af).The ability of degradation of  synthetic mixture of refine petroleum oils  makes the consortium potentially useful for bioremediation and microbial enhanced oil recovery.