Biodegradation potential assessment of microbial consortia isolated from a diesel-contaminated soil

Diesel, toluene and naphthalene-degrading microbial consortia were isolated from a diesel-contaminated soil. The presence of catabolic genes, xylE and ndoB responsible for toluene/xylene and naphthalene biodegradation, respectively, were screened by PCR techniques in all microbial consortia. The diesel-consortium possessed both catabolic genes, the toluene-consortium only the xylE gene, while the naphthalene-consortium possessed only the ndoB gene. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that contaminated soil has indigenous microbes with a high natural potential for biodegradation.