SURFACE-TENSION AS A LIMITING FACTOR FOR AEROBIC N-ALKANE BIODEGRADATION

A new mathematical model for n-alkane biodegradation in crude oil, hea vy oil and paraffinic mixtures is described. The pattern of n-alkane d egradation as a function of the inverse of hydrocarbon chain length re ported in this paper can be considered as general behaviour for many a erobic n-alkane biodegradation processes. A new interpretation of n-al kane biodegradation as a function of surface tension, is given. A math ematical expression was obtained starting from the degradation values of n-alkane and relative surface tension, which is a parameter indepen dent of fermentation conditions. An interesting parameter, b, was iden tified which represented the accelerating conversion factor for n-alka ne biodegradation. The findings suggested that the n-alkane biodegrada tion rate may be affected by the fermentation conditions (agitation, a eration, etc.) and by the strain of microorganism, while the behaviour pattern of n-alkane degradation was essentially linked to the substra te characteristics (molecular structure, molecular weight and density) .