THE DEGRADATION OF OIL IN CONTINUOUS CULTURE

A continuous culture system has been developed and tested for its usefulness in studying the degradation of oil and hydrocarbons. Both octane and diesel oil have been degraded in this system at measurable rates. Changes in these substrates and in the bacteria attacking them could be readily monitored and characterized. Oil and hydrocarbons could be degraded without mechanical dispersion and continuous culture enrichments were readily obtained as part of the degradation process. Sequential continuous culture systems have also been developed and tested successfully. An artifical oil has been developed to aid in the study of the bacterial mechanisms for degrading oil. A successful fish embryo bioassay has been developed and it has been shown that water extracts of oil and toluene interfere with embryological development. Oil degradation products also interfere with development but in a different manner.

• Corporate Authors:

  State University of New York, Brockport

  Department of Biology
  Brockport, NY  United States  14420
• Authors:
  • Pritchard, P H
  • Starr, T J
• Publication Date: 1974-4-19

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 75 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biodeterioration; Deterioration; Energy consumption; Gas chromatography; Oils; Water quality management
• Old TRIS Terms: Hydrocarbon utilization; Oil degradation
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00057039
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: State University of New York, Brockport
• Report/Paper Numbers: No 1 Ann Rept
• Contract Numbers: N00014-73-C-0074
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1974 12:00AM