IDENTIFICATION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF TOLUENE DEGRADING BACTERIA FROM CAR SPRAY PAINTING WORKSHOPS

Toluene is an important constituent of various commercial products including aints,dyes,cosmetics,pharmaceuticals, various chemicals and plastic articles. It is a natural component of crude petroleum and petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel. The aim of present study is to isolate and characterize toluene-degrading bacteria from contaminated soil surrounding Car spray painting workshops. Four soil samples were collected from car spray painting workshops in Kolenchery. Totally 12 different bacterial isolates were obtained from the samples. Three were (TDB 3, TDB 9, TDB 12) finally selected through secondary screening by agar well diffusion method using Toluene as carbon source. These isolates were selected based on highest zone of degradation on agar well diffusion method. Biochemical tests and GC-MS of these strains were performed. Based on the GC MS result one strain(TDB 3 is selected for PCR analysis. The nucleotide sequence of 16S r RNA gene shown the isolated strain , TDB 3 belongs to Bacillus sp. were the most effective in degrading toluene and this may be used for environmental bioremediation.