Asian Journal of Plant Biology, 2014, Vol 2, No 1, 11-18 11 Bioremediation of Crude Oil by Different Fungal Genera Kota, M.F., Hussaini, A.A.S.A.,* Zulkharnain, A., Roslan, H.A. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 943000 Kota Samarahan,Sarawak Corresponding Author: Awang Ahmad Sallehin Awang Husaini; Email: haahmad@frst.unimas.my INTRODUCTION Demand for petroleum as a source of energy and as primary raw material for the chemical industry has increased each year. A typical oil refinery in Malaysia which capable of producing 10 500 barrels per day will produce roughly 50 tons of sludge per [1]. Oil sludge need to handled carefully since its constituents are carcinogenic, immunotoxicants and mutagenic. Toxicity profiles of petroleum hydrocarbons to microorganisms, plants, animals and humans are well established. For example, low concentration (5-100 mg/l) of crude oil or petroleum fractions is sufficient to kill or inhibit the growth of microalgae and juvenile forms of marine animals [2]. Proficient technology in term of cost and efficiency is highly demanded in order to remove or degrade the hazardous constituents of oil sludge. Bioremediation appear to suit the characteristics of the demanded technology. Bioremediation is a process of using microorganisms to convert hazardous pollutants into less toxic compounds. Over the past twenty years, fungal bioremediation or mycoremediation become the main desirability for all researchers who involve in bioremediation field. Due the chemical resemblance of lignin and PAHs and some other environmental pollutants, ligninolytic fungi have been regard as the most promising candidates to degrade PAHs [3]. White rot fungi produce three types of enzymes which involves in the degradation of lignin. The enzymes are lignin peroxidase (LiP), Manganese Peroxidase (MnP), and Laccase (Lac) [4,5]. The main objective of this research was to discover the full potential of fungi in bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil. To reveal fungi full potential, this research began with choosing suitable bulking agent and to determine whether fungi able to grow and penetrate into the contaminated soil with or without bulking agent. This study also reports on the results from bioremediation trial after proceed the selection of the best hydrocarbon degrading fungi on hydrocarbon contaminated soil. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY Microbial preparation Five species of indigenous fungi, known with the potential of hydrocarbon degradation, were obtained from UNIMAS Molecular Biology Microbial Collection. The five species are Aspergillus flavus(UMAS-HDF8), Aspergillus versicolor (UMAS-HDF6), Bionectria ochroleuca (UMAS-BHDF7), Penicillium chermesinum (UMAS-HDF2), and Trichoderma ABSTRACT HISTORY Received: 10 th of March 2014 Received in revised form: 24 th of May 2014 Accepted: 26 th of June 2014 Available online: 27 th of July 2014 KEYWORD Bioremediation Hydrocarbon sago hampas Bionectria ochroleuca ASIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT BIOLOGY Website: http://journal.hibiscuspublisher.com One of the major environmental problems today is hydrocarbon contamination resulting from the activities related to the petrochemical industry. Bioremediation is the promising technology for treatment of these contaminated sites as it is cost effective and lead to complete mineralization. This research attempts to study the potential of different fungal genera in bioremediation of hydrocarbon. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus versicolor, Bionectria ochroleuca, Penicillium chermisinum and Trichoderma virens were selected for the bioremediation purpose. Screening of fungi species sensitivity towards hydrocarbons was first conducted. To enhance the growth of fungi on hydrocarbon contaminated soil, suitable bulking agent was selected prior to addition into the soil. Hydrocarbon degradation trial was conducted followed by post-treatment tests for a period of six weeks. All fungal species show high tolerance towards hydrocarbon. Sago waste (sago hampas) was the most suitable bulking agent as all fungal species were capable to grow on it. Significant differences were found in the ability of Bionectria ochroleuca to degrade hydrocarbon. Bionectria ochroleuca was able to degrade more than 70 % of the C 12 to C 28 hydrocarbons, and with 100 % degradation of C12 and C28 hydrocarbons.