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Bacteria which attack petroleum hydrocarbons in a saline medium
Author(s) -
Soli Giorgio,
Bens E. M.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260140305
Subject(s) - hydrocarbon , petroleum , bacteria , aeration , crude oil , seawater , chemistry , aromatic hydrocarbon , environmental chemistry , biology , organic chemistry , petroleum engineering , geology , ecology , genetics
Bacterial strains were isolated from California coastal areas which showed the ability to oxidize normal paraffins, iso‐paraffins, and aromatic hydrocarbons in a synthetic seawater medium. The ability to utilize a particular hydrocarbon was established not only on the basis of visible bacterial growth but also through a chromatographic technique which was standardized and which could define the amount of each hydrocarbon consumed by the bacteria in a mixture. Some of the strains exhibited vigorous hydrocarbon oxidation when exposed to synthetic mixtures of hydrocarbons as well as crude oil. Under conditions of aeration and agitation, mixed cultures could destroy approximately 50% of a South Louisiana crude oil in a period of 48 hr.