Study on paraffin wax degrading ability of Pseudomonas nitroreducens isolated from oil wells of Gujarat, India

Microbial remediation is an efficient method of removing paraffin wax from oil wells and pipelines and is found to be environment friendly and economical. In this study, a potential paraffin wax degrading bacterial strain was isolated from oil wells of Gujarat and was identified as Pseudomonas nitroreducens by 16S rRNA sequencing. Pseudomonas nitroreducens showed 100% utilization of heneicosane, 79.74% utilization of pentacosane and 72.50% utilization of triacontane, the major components of paraffin wax in 8 days at 37°C. Pseudomonas nitroreducens degraded 70% of paraffinic crude oil in 10 days at 37°C. The probable end products formed after degradation of eicosane and heneicosane by Pseudomonas nitroreducens were analysed by Mass Spectrum. The above results proving isolate as a potential candidate for degradation of paraffin wax in oil wells.