A study on organo-sulfur tolerant bacterial strains from extremophilic coal mine environment- isolation and growth factors

Abstract

Present study describes the isolation of three organo-sulfur tolerant microbial strains designated NA-1, NA-2 and OF-SD (isolated at pH 7) from samples of Assam (India) coal mines. NA-1, NA-2 and OF-SD were tested positive for utilization of ~100mM thiophene and ~50 mM each of phenyl disulphide and dibenzothiophene in presence of media with extremely good growth pattern (generation time). Of the three strains, OF-SD characterized as Bacillus thuringiensis by >1200bp 16S ribosomal RNA partial gene sequencing was having an excellent generation time of 0.6h. These bacterial isolates are now tested for their ability to degrade the sulfur inclusions in coal, which will be further beneficial for industrial aspects.