Hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria

Abstract

Hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria have been isolated from a variety of terrestrial and aquatic environments, using both enrichment and direct plating techniques. Although bacteria able to grow on aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons are found in many genera, the genera Alcanivorax appear to be special because these bacteria are specialized for growth on hydrocarbons. The initial step in the bacterial degradation of hydrocarbons is the introduction of oxygen into the molecules by group-specific oxygenases. Since these oxygenases are membrane bound, the cell must come into direct contact with their water-insoluble substrate. Hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria have potential applications in bioremediation of oil pollution, enhanced oil recovery, production of surface-active agents, and in the use of hydrocarbons as substrates for industrial fermentation processes. 1. Microbial spoilage of petroleum products 2. Treatment of oil spills and disposal of petroleum wastes 3. Enhanced oil recovery 4. Production of surface-active agents 5. Hydrocarbons as substrates in industrial fermentation processes