Utilization of Paraffin Hydrocarbons in Crude Oil by Mixed Cultures of Marine Bacteria

Abstract

This paper was prepared for the Second Biennial Symposium on Environmental Conservation presented by the Evangeline Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, to be held in Lafayette, La., Nov. 13–14, 1972. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon request to the Editor of the appropriate journal provided agreement to give proper credit is made. provided agreement to give proper credit is made. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines. Abstract Mixed populations of petroleum oxidizing bacteria were isolated from a variety of natural environments. Mixed populations were evaluated for hydrocarbon oxidizing capability (in vitro). In vitro studies employing a nutrient salts enriched seawater indicated utilization of saturated paraffins. n-Paraffins from C-10 to C-30, pristane and phytane were utilized. Experiments with large tanks designed to simulate aspects of the environment revealed that crude oil mass cultured marine bacteria applied to an oil slick in a nutrient salts solution would preferentially remain at the oil-water interface preferentially remain at the oil-water interface while degrading the floating oil slick. A wax-nutrient salts composite is now being considered as a method for retaining a source of nutrient salts at the oil-water interface. Introduction Crude oils are being released into the world ocean in increasing amounts. Besides constituting a needless loss to the world petroleum reserves, the effects of crude petroleum reserves, the effects of crude oils on the marine ecosystem may be undesirable. Although crude oils contain hydrocarbons with demonstrable toxicities and carcinogenic properties in pure form (Blumer, 1969), there are no empirical data describing the responses of biological systems to chronic low-level crude oil pollution. While indirect evidence pollution. While indirect evidence indicates that acutely polluted areas recover from massive petroleum spills (Straughan, 1971; Chan, 1972), hydrocarbons associated with hydrocarbon pollutants have been extracted from exposed marine organisms (Blumer, Souza and Sass, 1970; ZoBell, 1971) Complicating an interpretation of this latter phenomenon is a lack of knowledge describing baseline concentrations and types of hydrocarbons in marine organisms and more significantly, the abilities of organisms to metabolize and/or release hydrocarbons after the pollution scarce has been removed (Lee, Sauerheber, and Benson, 1972). Complementing our ignorance of the biological effects of pollutant crude oils upon marine organisms is the fate of crude oil hydrocarbons introduced into the world ocean.

Microbial degradation of oil spills enhanced by a slow-release fertilizer

“…In other words, the net microbial degradation of crude oil ascribed to PSF is about 38% (wt/wt). Using the isoprenoid hydrocarbon phytane as biological marker (8,11), the net crude oil depletion in the fertilized area corresponded to about 34%. Some authors suggest that the use of phytane as a biological marker has to be interpreted with care (7).…”

Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons: an environmental perspective.

“…It is clear from a number of studies that the distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms reflects the historical exposure of the environment to hydrocarbons. A large number of laboratory studies have demonstrated sizable increases in populations ofhydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms when environmental samples are exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons (11, 56, 93,166,218,225,256,263,304). Mironov (203) and Mironov and Lebed (204) found highly elevated populations of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms in the oil tanker shipping channels of the Indian Ocean and the Black Sea.…”

“…After 21 days, 63% of the oil had disappeared when fertilizer was added compared with 40% in a control area. Kator et al (168) suggested the use of paraffinized ammonium and phosphate salts for enhancing oil biodegradation in seawater. Raymond et al (232) were able to stimulate the microbial degradation of hydrocarbons in contaminated groundwaters by procedures which included the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients.…”

The Thesis [i.e. Tsesis] oil spill : report of the first year scientific study (October 26, 1977 to December 1978) : a cooperative international investigation / by Askö Laboratory, University of Stockholm [and] Swedish Water and Air Pollution Research Institute [and] U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Marine Pollution Assessment, National Oceanic and Atmo

“…The GC of Fig. 11.2c illustrates such a case, where the isoprenoid hydrocarbons, having retention indices of 1370, 1460 (farnesane), 1560, 1650, 1710 (pristane), and 1812 (phytane), become chromatographically prominent due to their greater resistance to microbial degradative processes (Kator, 1973).…”