Kerala scientist discovers ‘oil-eating’ bacteria

A scientist from Kerala has discovered three new species of oil-degrading bacteria from industrial waste.

RB Smitha of the Malabar Botanical Garden (MBG) in Kozhikode discovered one new species of pseudomonas and two new species of burkholderia, widely known as good bio-degraders of toxic and tough compounds. The discovery was made as part of her Young Scientist Project - Isolation and purification of Catechol 2,3 dioxygenase, a key hydrocarbon degrading enzyme present in industrial waste.

The project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. MBG is an institution under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment focusing on the conservation of aquatic plants, medicinal plants and species belonging to the lower plant category. The young scientist was awarded Ph.D. in Biotechnology in 2010 by the Enzyme Technology Laboratory, University of Calicut. She discovered two new members in the genus burkholderia which consists of a number of versatile bacteria that occupy a wide range of ecological niches.