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HC-0C-07: Isolation and Characterisation of Crude Oil Degrading Microorganisms from Petrochemical Wastewater

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Biodegradation and Bioconversion of Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Bacteria with the abilities to degrade crude oil were isolated from soil, activated sludge and biological treatment lagoon of the local petrochemical industries. For the biodegradation process, n-alkanes, of varying carbon chain length, C16–C38, were used. Out of the 12 cultures of bacteria isolated, 3 of the best oil degraders were partially identified via biochemical tests; 2 of which were Acinetobactor spp while another one belonged to Proteus sp. Degradation of the n-alkanes in crude oil was monitored under agitated and non-agitated condition using gas chromatography technique. Generally, non-agitated cultures showed higher degradation rates. One of the Acinetobacter sp. showed the highest degradation rate, in which 80–100 % of the alkanes (C16–C38) in crude oil was degraded without any addition of organic nitrogen and phosphorus. It is of interest to highlight another of the Acinetobacter sp. which showed the ability to degrade longer chain alkanes more rapidly than shorter ones; C36 and C38 were fully degraded in 2 days. Only one bacterium, Proteus sp showed increased rates of degradation under agitated condition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainability Resources Research Alliance, Faculty of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Chooi Yit Heng, Madihah Md. Salleh, Adibah Yahya, Zaharah Ibrahim & Huszalina Hussin

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  1. Chooi Yit Heng
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  2. Madihah Md. Salleh
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  3. Adibah Yahya
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  4. Zaharah Ibrahim
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  5. Huszalina Hussin
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Correspondence to Madihah Md. Salleh .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Kirsten Heimann

  2. James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Obulisamy Parthiba Karthikeyan

  3. SGS Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu

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Heng, C.Y., Salleh, M.M., Yahya, A., Ibrahim, Z., Hussin, H. (2017). HC-0C-07: Isolation and Characterisation of Crude Oil Degrading Microorganisms from Petrochemical Wastewater. In: Heimann, K., Karthikeyan, O., Muthu, S. (eds) Biodegradation and Bioconversion of Hydrocarbons. Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0201-4_11

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