title: Degradation of crude oil by indigenous microorganisms supplemented with nutrients.
abstract: Different kinds of mineral nutrients(NO3-N, NH4-N and PO4-P) were applied in the simulated oil-polluted seawater for enhancing oil biodegradation in the N/P ratio 10:1 and 20:1. Although indigenous microorganisms have the ability to degrade oil, adding nutrients accelerated biodegradation rates significantly. For the group amended with NO3-N and PO4-P in the ratio 10:1, the reaction rate coefficient was 4 times higher than the natural biodegradation. Chemical and microbiological analysis showed that the optimal N/P ratio in the system is 10:1, and microorganisms tend to utilize nitrate rather than ammonium as N source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China. xiawx2001@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Wen-Xiang
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xi-Lai
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jin-Cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Wen
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hao-Fen
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003470:Culture Media; D007700:Kinetics; D008386:Marine Biology; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D010578:Petroleum