Investigation of Biodegradable Bacteria as Bio indicators of the Presence of PAHs Contaminants in Marine Waters in the Marine Tourism Area of Makassar City

The activities of the petroleum processing industry and marine transportation potentially cause of hydrocarbon pollution. It is assumed that every water area exposed to hydrocarbons also found bacterial species that have biodegradation properties against PAH
contaminants. This study aims to analyze the relationship between biodegradable bacteria and the status of marine waters exposed to hydrocarbons. The method of analyzing the type of PAH contaminants for each seawater and sponge samples were processed at 4 different
points using GC-MS, the same sample was also carried out isolation, characterization and activity test of bacterial isolates against naphthalene and pyrene type PAH. The analysis showed that the four samples of seawater were contaminated with hydrocarbons. The type of
hydrocarbons found in each sample is different and the concentration value varies. The types of bacteria identified in seawater and sponge samples also varied. There were 8 types of isolates selected, each one isolate per sample, all of which showed biodegradation activity
against hydrocarbon contaminants, while the order of aromatic contamination levels at the four sampling points Sp.1 ˃ Sp.2 ˃ Sp.3 ˃ Sp.4. These results indicate that the presence of biodegradable bacteria in water areas can be a bio-indicator for the presence of PAH
pollutants.