Biodegradation of long-chain n-paraffins from waste oil of car engine by Acinetobacter sp

• Published in: Journal of bioscience and bioengineering Vol. 91; no. 1; pp. 94 - 96
• Main Authors: Koma, Daisuke, Hasumi, Fumihiko, Yamamoto, Etsuo, Ohta, Toshiya, Chung, Seon-Yong, Kubo, Motoki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdarm Elsevier B.V 2001; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acinetobacter; Acinetobacter sp; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; long-chain n-paraffins; Mission oriented research; n-paraffin; Physiology and metabolism; waste oil degradation; waste oil degradation; long-chain n-paraffins; Acinetobacter sp; Biodegradation; Waste treatment; Long chain; Neisseriaceae; Metabolic pathway; Motor oil; Metabolism; Paraffin; Spent oil; Alkane; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Acinetobacter; Biological treatment
• ISSN: 1389-1723; 1347-4421
• DOI: 10.1016/S1389-1723(01)80120-1

Microorganisms that degrade long-chain n-paraffins from used car engine oil were isolated from soil. For the screening, a fraction of n-paraffin prepared from car engine oil was applied as the sole carbon source. The strain was identified as Acinetobacter sp. The ability of the strain to assimilate long-chain n-paraffins was assessed and characterized. The strain mineralized long-chain n-paraffins (0.1% w/v) in the minimal medium after cultivation for 96 h and also reduced the weight of the waste oil added (1% w/v) by 20% after 72 h without an extracellular biosurfactant. When n-hexadecane was fed as substrate, 1-hexadecanol and 1-hexadecanoic acid were detected as the intermediates by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This indicates that the long-chain n-paraffins were metabolized via the terminal oxidation pathway of n-alkane.