Effect of surfactants on the biodegradation of hydrocarbons
- Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
Developing an improved understanding of enhanced biodegradation is of great interest in remediation of contaminated soils, aquifers and cleanup of oil spills. Effect of several Ethoxylate type non-ionic surfactants and mixtures of non-ionic and anionic surfactants on the biodegradation of n-decane was investigated. Microbial growth on the solubilized hydrocarbon was found to be stimulated by all of the non-ionic surfactants tested, with varying degrees of enhancements in the rate of biodegradation. Linear Alkyl benzene Sulfonate, an anionic surfactant, decreased the degradation rates in mixtures with non-ionic surfactant and did not support the growth with or without the oil phase when used alone. Bacterial cell concentration and hydrocarbon content were measured as a function of time to study the rate of cell growth and degradation kinetics of n-decane for some of the surfactants. The results confirmed that solubilization in nonionic surfactants can greatly enhance the rates of hydrocarbon degradation.
- OSTI ID:
- 370279
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960376--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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