Bioprospecting of Lipase Producing Bacteria Isolated Form Oil Contaminated Sites of Port Said, Egypt

The demand and use of petroleum products are increasing daily, which causes accidental spillage during production, refining, transport, and storage. Such spillage contaminates the environment in different aspects that should be treated in efficient ways. Decontamination of these spills with microbial degradation with lipases have been found to be a promising solution. Therefore, this research aims to isolate native lipase-producing bacteria and estimate its lipase activity. In the current study, lipolytic bacteria were isolated from different oil-contaminated agricultural and industrial sites in Port Said governorate. Lipase was primarily screened using tributyrin agar medium, Phenol red tributyrin (or oils) agar medium, tween 80 agar medium. Also lipase activity was detected by spectrophotometer using para-nitrophenyl palmitate as a substrate. Among 24 isolates, only 6 were quantitatively screened for lipase activity and then identified with classical and molecular methods. Results exhibited the identified lipolytic bacteria were Stutzerimonas stutzeri EGHK-16, Aeromonas caviae EGHK-17, Serratia marcescens EGHK-19, Bacillus sp. EGHK-24, Halomonas sp EGHK-25 and Stutzerimonas balearica EGHK-2HA. The best significant lipase producers were Aeromonas caviae EGHK-17 and Serratia marcescens EGHK-19 with 4.685 and 4.726 U/ml, respectively. This maximal lipase activity suggests that it will be optimally produced from the later bacteria and purified for oil degradation.