title: Biodegradation of crude oil saturated fraction supported on clays.
abstract: The role of clay minerals in crude oil saturated hydrocarbon removal during biodegradation was investigated in aqueous clay/saturated hydrocarbon microcosm experiments with a hydrocarbon degrading microorganism community. The clay minerals used for this study were montmorillonite, palygorskite, saponite and kaolinite. The clay mineral samples were treated with hydrochloric acid and didecyldimethylammonium bromide to produce acid activated- and organoclays respectively which were used in this study. The production of organoclay was restricted to only montmorillonite and saponite because of their relative high CEC. The study indicated that acid activated clays, organoclays and unmodified kaolinite, were inhibitory to biodegradation of the hydrocarbon saturates. Unmodified saponite was neutral to biodegradation of the hydrocarbon saturates. However, unmodified palygorskite and montmorillonite were stimulatory to biodegradation of the hydrocarbon saturated fraction and appears to do so as a result of the clays' ability to provide high surface area for the accumulation of microbes and nutrients such that the nutrients were within the 'vicinity' of the microbes. Adsorption of the saturated hydrocarbons was not significant during biodegradation.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Drummond Building, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK, ugouzochukwu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Uzochukwu C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Ugochukwu
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Head
authors.forename: David A C
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: Claire I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Fialips
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000077215:Clay; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007616:Kaolin / Q000737:chemistry; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010578:Petroleum; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D001546:Bentonite; D007616:Kaolin; C099453:saponite; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D000077215:Clay; C026325:attapulgite; C027118:didecyldimethylammonium