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Poster Presentation 2-36
Cyanobacteria from Lake Qaroun, Egypt as Pollution Agents and Biomass Sources
Tanya Kuritz 1, 2, Sonja L. Roberts1, M.M. Ibrahim3, Kh. A. Abdelaaty3, S.A. Ibrahim3 and A.Z.E. Abdelsalam3
1Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6226
2Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
3Centre of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Ain Shams University, Shobra Gardens, Egypt
Telephone: (865) 241-6013; Fax: 574-6442; E-mail: kuritzt@ornl.gov
This research was aimed at the assessment of diversity of cyanobacteria isolated from a saline, desert Lake Qaroun and analysis of their ability to degrade pollutant pesticides released into the lake with agricultural runoffs. We cultivated cyanobacterial isolates both in Egypt and in the U.S. and taxonomically assigned organisms to several genera, including Phormidium, Oscillatoria, Oscillatoria, Synechococcus, Aphanothece, and Nodularia. We failed to cultivate a Spirulina sp. although it was present in the original sample. Molecular characterization of the organisms by 16S rDNA sequence phylogeny confirmed taxonomic grouping of the strains. This phylogenetic relationship between different isolates was also confirmed by preliminary data from RAPD-PCR analysis. Further analysis of the organisms’ ability to degrade lindane – one of the major pollutants of the Lake Qaroun – showed that the incubation of lindane in the presence of all tested isolates led to the disappearance of lindane in the medium. Based on our previous data (Kuritz and Wolk, 1995; Kuritz, 2000), we hypothesize that cyanobacteria from this hypersaline environment may serve as agents for pesticide degradation in Lake Qaroun. We propose a process design for the remediation of the lake combined with the subsequent utilization of cyanobacterial biomass for local farming needs.
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