Isolation and Identification of Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria from Coastal Sites in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu

Water samples from two hydrocarbon-polluted Cuddalore coasts of Tamil Nadu—Mudasal Odai (Mu, 11°29’N, 7°46’E) and MGR Thittu (MGR, ~11°30’N, 79°47’E) were collected and analyzed to isolate and characterize hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria for bioremediation applications. Bacterial strains were isolated through serial dilution, pure streaking and identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Bacillus cereus and Ochrobactrum anthropi, respectively. Both strains exhibited abundant growth on diesel-amended Stone Mineral Salt Solution (SMSS) and Bushnell Haas agar (BHA), with low biosurfactant production confirmed by drop collapse assays (23% and 20% positive wells, respectively) and emulsification indices (E24: 12.5% and 10%, respectively). These findings emphasize the hydrocarbanoclastic potential of indigenous bacteria in hydrocarbon-contaminated coastal environments.