Microbial surfactant mediated degradation of anthracene in aqueous phase by marine MTCC 5514.

The present study emphasizes the biosurfactant mediated anthracene degradation by a marine alkaliphile (MTCC 5514). The isolate, MTCC 5514 degraded >95% of 300 ppm anthracene in an aqueous medium within 22 days and the degradation percentage reduced significantly when the concentration of anthracene increased to above 500 ppm. Naphthalene, naphthalene 2-methyl, phthalic acid and benzene acetic acid are the products of degradation identified based on thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and mass analyses.