Abstract
In batch culture diesel oil was degraded rapidly, with a maximum growth rate (for a consortium of microorganisms) of 0.55 h-1. The corresponding yield Y SX was 0.1 Cmol/Cmol. In a continuous stirred tank reactor the maximum dilution rate was about 0.25 h-1, with a yield of 0.3 Cmol/Cmol. With a residence time of 1 day 82% of the influent oil was degraded. In the batch reactor, of the mixture of linear and branched alkanes the linear alkanes were degraded fastest and with the highest yield. Only after most of the linear alkanes had disappeared were the branched alkanes consumed. In a CSTR a large part of the branched alkanes was not degraded.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Amund, OO & Akangbou, TS (1993) Microbial degradation of four Nigerian crude oils in an estuarine microcosm. Letters Appl. Microbiol. 16: 118–121
Blackburn, JW, Harner, EJ, Robbins, WK, Prince, RC, Clark, JR, Atlas, RM & Wilkinson, JB (1993) Experimental linkage issues of petroleum site bioremediation. Biodegr. 4: 207–230
Blanch, H & Einsele, A (1973) The kinetics of yeast growth on hydrocarbons. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 15: 861–877
Cooper, DG & Zajic, JE (1980) Surface-active compounds from microorganisms. Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 26: 229–253
Georgiou, G, Lin, S-C & Sharma, MM (1992) Surface-active compounds from microorganisms. Bio/technol. 10: 60–65
Goldsmith, CD & Balderson, RK (1990) Biokinetic constants of a mixed microbial culture with model diesel fuel. Hazardous Waste & Hazardous Materials 6: 145–154
Gough, MA & Rowland, SJ (1990) Characterization of unresolved complex mixtures of hydrocarbons in petroleums. Nature 344: 648–650
Homel, RK (1990) Formation and physiological role of biosurfactants produced by hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms. Biodegradation 1: 107–119
Killops, SD & Al-Juboori, MAHA (1990) Characterization of the unresolved complex mixture (UCM) in the gas chromatograms of biodegraded petroleums. Org. Geochem. 15: 147–160
Mille, G, Almallah, M, Bianchi, M, Wambeke, Fvan & Bertrand, JC (1991) Effect of salinity on petroleum degradation. Fresenius J. Anal. Chem. 339: 788–791
Pirnik, MP, Atlas, RM & Bartha, R (1974) Hydrocarbon metabolism by Brevibacterium erythrogenes: normal and branched alkanes. J. Bact. 119: 868–878
Ratledge, C (1978) Degradation of aliphatic hydrocarbons. In: Watkinson, RJ (Ed) Developments in Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons I (pp 1–46). Applied Science Publishers, London
Roels, JA (1983a) Energetics and Kinetics in Biotechnology (pp 30). Elsevier Biomedical Press, Amsterdam
Roels, JA (1983b) Energetics and Kinetics in Biotechnology (pp 80). Elsevier Biomedical Press, Amsterdam
Rohns H-P (1992) Kontinuierliche Produktion mineralölabbauender Bakterien zum Einsatz in biotechnologischen Sanierungen kontaminierter Standorte (pp 74–86). Ph.D. Thesis Institut für Biotechnolgie, Jülich (Germany)
Watkinson, RJ & Morgan, P (1990) Physiology of aliphatic hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. Biodegr. 1: 79–92
Wodzinski, RS & Johnson, MJ (1968) Yields of bacterial cells from hydrocarbons. Appl. Microbiol. 16: 1886–1891
Yoshida, F & Yamane, T (1974) Continuous hydrocarbon fermentation with colloidal emulsion feed. A kinetic model for two-liquid phase culture. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 16: 635–657
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geerdink, M.J., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M. & Luyben, K.C.A.M. Biodegradability of diesel oil. Biodegradation 7, 73–81 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056560
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056560