"Research": Mangrove Microbes for Treating Oil-Contaminated Soil

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) announced the completion of a research project aimed at employing mangrove microbes to treat soil contaminated with oil. Dr. Abrar Akbar, a co-researcher in the Food Security Program, stated that the project responds to the environmental challenges facing Kuwait’s mangrove forests and coastal areas, resulting from human pressures and pollution by oil and heavy metals. She noted that these environments are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems, playing a pivotal role in maintaining ecological balance.

Dr. Akbar explained that the project focused on studying microbial diversity using the latest high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, alongside isolating local bacterial strains capable of degrading crude oil and utilizing it as a food source.

She added that the project’s results represent the first comprehensive scientific database documenting microbial diversity in Kuwait’s mangrove sediments. The study revealed the presence of bacterial species performing important ecological roles, including the degradation of petroleum compounds, sulfur cycling, and the breakdown of organic matter, thereby enhancing these ecosystems’ capacity to restore their natural balance.

Genetic analyses showed the existence of specialized metabolic pathways responsible for breaking down petroleum hydrocarbons. Dr. Akbar noted that bioremediation experiments yielded promising results, contributing to a reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations by up to 76 percent, along with a significant decrease in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels. This confirms the efficiency of local microbial communities in restoring damaged coastal soils through environmentally friendly and sustainable methods.