Microbial degradation of crude oil at high pressure

Experiments were performed in high-pressure reactors at up to 162 bar as well as in ambient-pressure reference reactors to determine the biodegradation of mineral oil components (n-hexadecane, n-decane, n-tetracosane, toluene and naphthalene) by four hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial strains (Rhodococcus qingshengii TUHH-12, Rhodococcus wratislaviensis Tol3, Dietzia aurantiaca C7.oil.2 and Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1). Moreover, the growth on and degradation of crude oil by bacterial communities from sediments were investigated at ambient and high pressure. The substrate degradation, bacterial growth, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were analyzed. Furthermore, influence of Corexit EC9500A on bacterial growth and hydrocarbon degradation at high pressure and ambient was investigated.