Surface tension as a limiting factor for aerobic n-alkane biodegradation

✍ Scribed by Leonardo Setti; Pier Giorgio Pifferi; Gaetano Lanzarini

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 588 KB
• Volume: 64
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2575
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.280640108

✦ Synopsis

A new mathematical model for n-alkane biodegradation in crude oil, heavy oil and paraffinic mixtures is described. The pattern of n-alkane degradation as a function of the inverse of hydrocarbon chain length reported in this paper can be considered as general behaviour for many aerobic n-alkane biodegradation processes. A new interpretation of n-alkane biodegradation as a function of surface tension, is given. A mathematical expression was obtained starting from the degradation values of n-alkane and relative surface tension, which is a parameter independent of fermentation conditions. An interesting parameter, b, was identified which represented the accelerating conversion factor for n-alkane biodegradation. The findings suggested that the n-alkane biodegradation rate may be affected by the fermentation conditions (agitation, aeration, etc.) and by the strain of microorganism, while the behaviour pattern of n-alkane degradation was essentially linked to the substrate characteristics (molecular structure, molecular weight and density).