ISOLATION OF LIPASE PRODUCING BACTERIA FROM OIL AND FAT CONTAMINATED SOIL SAMPLES AND ASSESSMENT OF THEIR LIPOLYTIC EFFICIENCY TOWARDS DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES

Lipases find immense applications in food, dairy, detergent and pharmaceutical industries as Biotechnologically significant enzymes. In this regard, an effort was made to isolate bacteria from oil and fat contaminated soil samples. Further, three pure bacterial cultures were characterized and their lipolytic efficiency towards different substrates was assessed. Bacillus spp. degraded olive oil effectively and sunflower oil was significantly degraded by Pseudomonas spp. Of the three bacteria, Staphylococcus spp. showed maximum lipolytic activity towards diesel followed by kerosene as substrates. Hence, we can infer that isolated Staphylococcus spp. can be used effectively in the bioremediation of fuel oil spills.