The Utilisation of Antarctic Microalgae Isolated from Paradise Bay (Antarctic Peninsula) in the Bioremediation of Diesel
Nur Diyanah Zamree,
Nurul Aini Puasa,
Zheng Syuen Lim,
Chiew-Yen Wong,
Noor Azmi Shaharuddin,
Nur Nadhirah Zakaria,
Faradina Merican,
Peter Convey,
Syahida Ahmad,
Hasrizal Shaari,
Alyza Azzura Azmi,
Siti Aqlima Ahmad,
Azham Zulkharnain
Affiliations
Nur Diyanah Zamree
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Nurul Aini Puasa
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Zheng Syuen Lim
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Chiew-Yen Wong
School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Noor Azmi Shaharuddin
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Nur Nadhirah Zakaria
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Faradina Merican
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Peter Convey
British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
Syahida Ahmad
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Hasrizal Shaari
School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
Alyza Azzura Azmi
Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
Siti Aqlima Ahmad
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Azham Zulkharnain
Department of Bioscience and Engineering, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 307 Fukasaku, Minumaku, Saitama 337-8570, Japan
Research has confirmed that the utilisation of Antarctic microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi, in the bioremediation of diesel may provide practical alternative approaches. However, to date there has been very little attention towards Antarctic microalgae as potential hydrocarbon degraders. Therefore, this study focused on the utilisation of an Antarctic microalga in the bioremediation of diesel. The studied microalgal strain was originally obtained from a freshwater ecosystem in Paradise Bay, western Antarctic Peninsula. When analysed in systems with and without aeration, this microalgal strain achieved a higher growth rate under aeration. To maintain the growth of this microalga optimally, a conventional one-factor-at a-time (OFAT) analysis was also conducted. Based on the optimized parameters, algal growth and diesel degradation performance was highest at pH 7.5 with 0.5 mg/L NaCl concentration and 0.5 g/L of NaNO3 as a nitrogen source. This currently unidentified microalga flourished in the presence of diesel, with maximum algal cell numbers on day 7 of incubation in the presence of 1% v/v diesel. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents of the culture were greatest on day 9 of incubation. The diesel degradation achieved was 64.5% of the original concentration after 9 days. Gas chromatography analysis showed the complete mineralisation of C7–C13 hydrocarbon chains. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that strain WCY_AQ5_3 fully degraded the hydrocarbon with bioabsorption of the products. Morphological and molecular analyses suggested that this spherical, single-celled green microalga was a member of the genus Micractinium. The data obtained confirm that this microalga is a suitable candidate for further research into the degradation of diesel in Antarctica.
