The biodegradability of petroleum hydrocarbons such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-branched alkanes etc. of 2T engine oil were studied in aqueous media using bacterial strain isolated from petroleum contaminated soil of high altitude. Out of five petroleum degrading bacterial strain one of the most growing bacteria was identified as Enterobacter strain by morphological, physiological, biochemical and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA. This strain was capable of degrading 75 ± 3% of n-alkanes, 32 ± 5% PAHs, and the abiotic loss was 24 ± 6% during 10 days incubation period. 85 ± 2% of n-alkanes and 51 ± 3% PAHs were biodegraded in 20 days. The abiotic loss during this period was 15 ± 3%. In 30 days of incubation period 98% ± 1% n-alkanes and 75 ± 3% PAHs were degraded. As expected abiotic losses were smaller with increasing long chain alkanes and PAH's concentration.

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Diesel oil is considered one of the important products of crude oil which constitute a vital source of pollution in the environment. Biodegradation of complex hydrocarbon requires cooperation of more than a single species. This is true in case of pollutants made up of crude oil or petroleum. Soil contains varieties of microorganism that can be established in any natural environment. The bacterial isolates were characterized biochemically by indole test, methyl red test, citrate utilization Test, voges proskauer test, starch hydrolysis, catalase production test, nitrate reduction test, antagonism test, oligodynamic susceptibility and antibiotic sensitivity tests.