Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is one of the ether oxygenates which its use has been increased within the last twenty years. This compound is produced from isobutylene and methanol reaction that is used as octane index enhancer and also increases dissolved oxygen in gasoline and decreases carbon monoxide emission in four phased motors because of better combustion of gasoline. High solubility in water (52 g/L), high vapor pressure (0.54 kg/cm3), low absorption to organic carbon of soil and presence of MTBE in the list of potentially-carcinogens of U.S EPA has made its use of great concern. The culture media used in this study was Mineral Salt Medium (MSM). The study lasted for 236 days and in three different concentrations of MTBE of 200, 5 and 0.8 mg/L. A control sample was also used to compare the results.  This research studied the isolation methods of microbial consortium in the MTBE polluted soils in Tehran and Abadan petroleum refinery besides MTBE degradation. The results showed the capability of bacteria in consuming MTBE as carbon source. Final microbial isolation was performed with several microbial passages as well as keeping consortium in a certain amount of MTBE as the carbon source.

Background: The objective of this study was to develop a consortium of effective MICROORGANISMs to hasten the composting process and to reduce the composting period.Results: An efficient MICROORGANISM (EM) consortium was developed using Candida tropicalis (Y6), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (VV18), Streptomyces globisporous (C3), Lactobacillus sp. and enriched photosynthetic bacterial inoculum for rapid composting of paddy straw. Paddy straw was amended with poultry droppings to narrow down its C: N ratio for faster degradation. Composting was carried out in open pits with EM consortium and compared with compost inoculant (CI) consisting of Aspergillus nidulans (ITCC 2011), Tricho derma viride (ITCC 2211), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (NCIM1073) and A. awamori (F-18). Changes in biochemical and physiochemical parameters like C: N ratio, pH, EC and humus were studied over a period of 60 days to test compost maturity and stability along with microbial and extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activities. Paddy straw amended with EM and CI hasten the composting process by bringing C: N ratio down to 15: 1 and achieving a total humus content of 4.82% within 60 days. High activity of hydrolytic enzyme carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) (0.43 IU/g) andmicrobial activity in terms of dehydrogenase (158.64 mg TPF/g/day) was observed in this treatment. The activity of xylanase was positively correlated (r=0.987) with alkali-soluble carbon.Conclusion: This study illustrates the importance of microbial bioaugmentation to hasten the composting process of paddy straw to produce quality compost.

Background: The Bam earthquake in southeastern Iran turned an ancient city to dust, killing thousands and destroying 80% of all infrastructures. More than 30,000 people died and It left some 100,000 people homeless. Direct contact with polluted water increases the risk of infection, particularly wound infections, cellulitis, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, and ear, nose and throat infections. The prevalence of NTM (non-tuberculosis mycobacteria) is difficult to obtain. The aim of this study was isolation of bacteria and mycobacterial agents‚ especially atypical species from dermal lesions of children in Bam earthquake.Materials and methods: In this descriptive study, 88 children settled in camps in 2004 were enrolled. Samples from dermal lesions of children were obtained and transported with middle brook 7H9 and Brain Heart (BH) media to laboratory for isolation of mycobacterial agents and other bacteria. For isolation of mycobacterium, after decontamination and acid-fast staining, they had been cultured in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. Having isolated mycobacteria by differential tests their antibiotic resistance and susceptibility were studied. Meanwhile, other bacteria were identified by staining and culturing in standard media.Results: The study population included 32 girls and 56 boys. Of 88 samples, 3 mycobacteria were isolated (3.4%) of which 2 were M. chelonae (rapidly growing) and 1 was M. scrofulaceum (slowly growing). The most common isolated bacteria were E.coli (41%) and Coagulase negative staphylococcous (38%). Conclusion: Infectious disease epidemics may play a role in the post disaster period. Since atypical mycobacteria exist in soil, and some cases were reported from Iran, isolation of these MICROORGANISMs is of utmost importance especially in children after a disaster such as earthquake.

Multicellular organisms of the human and animal bodies such as skin, bones, tendons,cartilage and blood vessels have collagen as a fibrous element. Collagen is amost representative protein of the leather wastes and collagenase is a proteolyticenzyme. The collagenase is responsible for the degradation of native collagen tosmall peptide fragments, without affecting the other proteins. Collagenase haswidespread applications such as cosmetics, wound healing, diabetic ulcer, arterialulcers and burns surgery, etc. In the present study, Twenty-seven collagenaseproducingMICROORGANISMs were identified and isolated from soil/sewage samplesof the fish market and slaughterhouse areas. CS-20 sample was found most efficientproducer MICROORGANISM of collagenase. This sample was identified fromPseudomonas genus and isolated as Pseudomonas species. The parameters such astemperature, substrate, pH, incubation period and inoculum percentage were alsooptimized to screen the hyper producer strain with maximum collagenase activity.CS-20 isolate (Collagenase producing MICROORGANISM) was capable of hydrolyzingother protein substrates such as gelatine and azocoll. Thus, CS-20 isolate is highefficiencystrain for the production of collagenase.