BIODEGRADATION POTENTIAL OF HYDROCARBON-ASSIMILATING TROPICAL FUNGI

Strains of hydrocarbon-degrading fungi were isolated from tropical pol luted environments in Indonesia: a forest soil and the sediments of a river which had been contaminated by petroleum spills. The biodegradat ion potential of these isolates was monitored by measuring the degrada tion rate of total petroleum, saturated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydroca rbons, resins and asphaltenes. Members of the genera Aspergillus, Peni cillium, Gliocladium, Emericella, Graphium, Acremonium, Eupenicilium a nd Talaromyces were identified. The most active strains in the assimil ation of saturates and aromatics were Emericella nidulans, Graphium pu tredinis, Eupenicillium javanicum and Aspergillus flavipes. Some isola tes degraded significantly the resins and asphaltenes. Monospecific cu ltures were as efficient as mixed cultures. The degradative capacities were not constant within a species and this metabolic activity cannot be used in taxonomic studies.