| Abstract [eng] |
Crude oil products are able to be degraded via the ability of microorganisms to decompose hydrocarbons into harmless metabolic products. This work focuses on recognizing the degradation process of crude oil products through the medium of selected microorganisms and how such processes can be optimized. To accomplish the determined goal; twenty-seven visually different isolates have been selected from a sample of crude oil contaminated soil. Four main isolates have been selected for the experiment: (30–1; P30–5; P30–9.1; P30–9.1). The isolates were determined to belong to the Staphylococcus sp. (30–1), Brevundimonas sp. (P30–5), Brevibacterium sp. (P30–9.1), and Pseudomonas sp. (P30–9.2). A modificated technique is presented to determine the degradation of crude oil products using gas chromatography. To optimize the degradation processes, further research has been done to determine the optimal conditions for biodegradation. This included the addition of different components such as: yeast extract, meat extract, salt mixture, glucose and Triton X-100. The results have demonstrated an increase in the degradation processes which varied from 4.5 % to 9.6 %. Furthermore, surfactant establishing methods such as; the emulsification activity method and the crude oil displacement method have been used to detect whether the test-subject microorganisms synthesize the surface active agents. It was recognized that investigated microorganisms sumthesize biosurfactants. |
