Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Abstract

Bioconversion of Heavy Hydrocarbon Cuts Containing High Amounts of Resins by Microbial Consortia

Ghollami M, Roayaei M, Ghavipanjeh F and Rasekh B

Microbial conversion of petroleum resins existing in a heavy fraction of crude oil was investigated by native isolated consortia. The heavy oil fraction was taken from an end cut of distillation tower of Abadan refinery in Iran. Several Soil samples were taken from different oil contaminated sites of Abadan oil refinery in Khuzestan province. Seven bacterial consortia were then prepared by enrichment method and were examined for their ability to convert resins. Amongst them, consortium AB6 reduced 37.3% of resins while, aliphatic and aromatic compounds increased by 86.8% and 6.7%, respectively. Three pure cultures were isolated from consortium AB6 which were identified as Serratia sp., Raoultella sp. and Ochrobactrum sp.