Microbial degradation of marine evaporitic crude oils

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90032-Z· OSTI ID:5867427

Grimalt, J O; Albaiges, J ^[1]; Grifoll, M; Solanas, A M ^[2]

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1. Department of Environmental Chemistry (CID-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain)
2. Univ. of Barcelona (Spain)

The composition of alkylbenzenes and organosulfur compounds in crude oils is strongly modified by biodegradation, even at low levels of transformation where the composition of steranes, hopanes, alkylnaphthalenes, and alkylphenanthrenes has not been altered. These conclusions emerge from the comparison of preserved and biodegraded crude oils of marine evaporitic origin (Amposta and Varadero oils) and controlled experiments of microbial transformation of oils containing high amounts of aryl hydrocarbons and organic sulphur species. The compositions of straight chain compounds, such as n-alkanes, n-alkylbenzenes, 2,5-di-n-alkylthiolanes, 2,6,-di-n-alkylthianes and 2,4-dialkylbenzo(b)thiophenes are more easily modified than those of compounds with isoprenoid side-chains. The experiments also show that benzo(b)thiophenes are markedly more resistant to microbial attack than thiolanes and thianes.

• OSTI ID: 5867427
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 55:7; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
023000* -- Petroleum-- Properties & Composition
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
AROMATICS
BENZENE
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EVAPORITES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS