title: Influence of special surfactants on the microbial degradation of mineral oils.
abstract: Various surfactants belonging to the group of fatty acid-acylated amino acids were tested for their ability to accelerate the microbial degradation of mineral oil. Of the lauric acid-acylated amino acids, aliphatic acids and histidine were found to be the most suitable. By the aid of these compounds additional 20-60% of a residual oil fraction could be degraded. The longer the chain of the fatty acid moiety, the more effective the surfactants are. Natural L-amino acids were more effective than their D-configuration. Since the special surfactants are easily biologically degradable, multiple replenishment is required in long-term experiments. The faster, more complete degradation of mineral oil is caused solely by interfacial activity; the growth of biomass due to the function of surfactants as substrate had no effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Riis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miethe
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Babel
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D008899:Mineral Oil