We isolated two bacterial groups with the activities to
emulsify the heavy oil in NSW medium. We designated
them Oil Degradation Bacterial Group (ODB-G) 1 and 2.
In this study, we characterized them. They were isolated
from the heavy oil that flowed on the sea around Noto
Peninsula or recovered on the beach of Neagari Town,
respectively. We could not isolate similar bacterial groups
or bacteria from the heavy oil, which was sampled directly
from the Nakhodka and had not weathered. These results
suggest that the oil-degrading bacterial groups or bacteria
are indigenous microorganisms distributed in the sea
around Noto Peninsula.
3.1. Identification and properties of isolated bacteria
We observed that ODB-G1 and ODB-G2 contained two
to three different types of bacteria by dark-field microscopy
(data not shown). In ODB-G1, there were small rod