Microbial decomposition of mineral oil

Some microorganisms living in soil and water are capable of utilizing mineral oil compounds as carbon and energy sources. They break down these compounds to produce carbon dioxide and water, thereby decomposing mineral oil. Particularly mycobacteria, corynebacteria and proactomycetes are able to decompose mineral oil.

Benefits

• The experiment shows how to clean soil contaminated by oil in a environmentally friendly way
• Microbiology experiment which can be performed under non-sterile conditions
• Experiment to grow mineral-oil degrading microorganisms in small scale
• Particularly educational in countries with mineral oil industry

Tasks

• Verify the presence of mineral oil-degrading microorganism in any type of soil samples

Learning objectives

• Contamination with mineral oil
• Degradation of mineral oil using biological agents
• Mineral oil-degrading microorganisms