The study was to examine the incidence of keratinolytic fungi in the lagoon with acidic petroleum wastes (before bioremediation) at a petroleum refinery situated within a highly populated area. High concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons (non-polar and polar aliphatics and PAHs) made the growth of keratinolytic fungi in clay and litter from the lagoon impossible. The natural self-purification process considerably decreased the hydrocarbon contamination, increased the pH and caused the abundant growth of Trichophyton ajelloi in organic soil. This soil included the root-adjacent material from the grass growing in several green oases at the lagoon. It is possible that the strains of Trichophyton ajelloi adapted to the extreme lagoon's conditions actively participated in the soil self-purification process. The fungal species isolated in the present study did not pose a threat to public health. However, petroleum contaminants may support the growth of potential pathogens, for example Microsporum gypseum, in other types of soils.
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