Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Whole live micro-organism – cell – or virus containing – Intentional mixture of two or more micro-organisms – cells,...
Patent
1994-11-21
1996-11-19
Rollins, John W.
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Whole live micro-organism, cell, or virus containing
Intentional mixture of two or more micro-organisms, cells,...
210601, 210610, 210611, 424 9347, 424 935, 424 9351, 4352521, 4352625, 435877, 435911, C02F 300, A01N 6300, C12N 100
Patent
active
055759980
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mixture of natural microorganisms, which, in its special composition, is capable of biologically degrading hydrocarbons. The invention is especially useful in degrading mineral oil, mineral oil by-products and related hydrocarbons. Further, the invention relates to the use of this mixture for the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. The invention teaches a special process for the cultivation and application of the mixture for the biodegradation of oil-contaminated soils and waters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The interest in the focussed use of microorganisms for the biological degradation of mineral oil, its derivates and products has increased in the recent years. As early as in 1903, the first organisms have been described which use hydrocarbons as a source for carbons and energy. At present, more than 40 species of microorganisms are known which use aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons in the course of a biological degradation. These organisms have been isolated from the oceans, from sweet-waters as well as from the soil.
The number of bacteria and mushrooms which are able to biologically degrade mineral-oil hydrocarbons, increases sharply and locally after oil spills. These substances occur in a substantial part as selection-gas.
From a genetic view point it is clear that the ability of a major proportion of microorganisms to degrade mineral-oil hydrocarbons is controlled by plasmid. By the proof of the transfer of plasmid it became possible to explain the sharp increase of the number of organisms with degrading ability.
As a subtrate for microorganisms, mineral oil is an extremely complex mixture of hydrocarbons. The saturated fraction of mineral oil includes n-alkanes, branching alkanes and cyclo-alkanes. The biodegradation of the n-alkanes up to C.sub.44 is in most cases realized by the monoterminal attack under the creation of carbonacids. This process may lead to an accumulation of some more or less toxic fat-acids.
The branching isoprenoid alkanes are degraded by w-oxidation under the creation of dicarbon-acids. The terminal branched alkanes are very resistant to a biodegradation. They block the .beta.-oxidation and have the tendency to accumulate within the milieu. After the spontaneous degradation of a hydrocarbon-contamination, tripentacyclic bindings are often created, which are persistent in the milieu. Because of that it is clear that the qualitative composition of the oil and its products have a high influence on their degradability.
In the metabolism of the mineral-oil hydrocarbons two other processes play an important role--the cooxidation and prolongation. Many oil-components which are not degradable according to the opinion of many skilled professionals, are degradable when they occur in presence of other hydrocarbons which allow the growth of the microorganisms. The degradation process of microorganisms by the inventive mixture is in no way comparable with the ability of the pure species to degrade the single hydrocarbons.
The speed of the microbial degradation of the mineral-oil hydrocarbons is influenced by many factors which directly or indirectly have an influence on the growth and the metabolism of the microbial population. As crucial appears the physical condition of the hydrocarbons, since the hydrocarbons are degraded the most intensively on the "separation-line" between water and hydrocarbon. Further abiotic factors are the temperature and the nutrions which are available. Most heterotroph microorganisms are able to degrade hydrocarbons within a wide temperature range of 0.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. The temperature not only has an influence on the speed of the degradation but above all on the physical condition of the hydrocarbons, which is in a close connection to the selective pressure of the temperature on microbial communities which are created by the eco-system. In the course of the complex evaluation, the temperature must be considered in connection with other factors. In any case
REFERENCES:
patent: 4415661 (1983-11-01), Thirumalachar et al.
patent: 4535061 (1985-08-01), Chakrabarty et al.
patent: 4593003 (1986-06-01), Vandenbergh
Kyokaishi, "Id. of three phenol degrading microorg. from nature and their char." Abstr., 1987.
Horakova Dana
Nemec Miroslav
Biorem AG
Rollins John W.
Schindler Edwin D.
Ware Deborah K.
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