DETECTION OF BIODEGRADABILITY OF OILS AND RELATED SUBSTANCES

Oil seed related fungal species namely Cunninghamella verticillata, Cu rvularia pallescens, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Syncephalastrum racemosum were isolated. The lipase activity in these fungi were detec ted using substances like Tributyrin; few natural vegetable oils (grou ndnut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil and sunflower oil), Tween-20 and Tween-80. Intrestingly, C. verticillate could not hydrol yse Tween-20 and Tween-80. However, it could hydrolyze tributyrin and all other vegetable oils. Whereas C. pallescens could hydrolyze all th e fatty substances including Tween-20 and Tween-80 except soybean oil. C. cladosporiodes could hydrolyze all the fatty substances except all vegetable oils. S. racemosum could hydrolyze all fatty substances exc ept soybean oil. C. verticillata showed higher lipolytic activity than the other species. The plate assay method could be used as a rapid me thod for the detection of lipase activity, hydrolysis of oils and vari ous fatty substances. Moreover, the results indicate that fungal speci es can be used to degrade oil spills in the coastal environment which may enhance ecorestoration as well as in the enzymatic oil processing in industries.