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Biodegradation of components of petroleum

  • Chapter
Biochemistry of microbial degradation

Abstract

Petroleum can be defined as a naturally-derived organic material that is composed primarily of hydrocarbon compounds and held in geological traps. The liquid fraction of this is crude oil. Crude oils are essentially produced by high pressure and temperature action on biological material over geological time-scales. The variability of all of these factors means that there is great variability in the chemical composition and properties of different crude oils. Furthermore, refined products from different crudes will have different chemical composition even though the products meet the relevant physical and performance standards. The aim of this paper is to review the biochemical and physiological mechanisms involved in the biodegradation of components of crude oil and petroleum products that are not gaseous under physiological conditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shell Internationale Petroleum Maatschappij B. V., P. O. Box 162, 2501 AN, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Philip Morgan

  2. Sittingbourne Research Centre, Shell Research Ltd., Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8AG, UK

    Robert J. Watkinson

Authors
  1. Philip Morgan
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  2. Robert J. Watkinson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biology, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Colin Ratledge

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Morgan, P., Watkinson, R.J. (1994). Biodegradation of components of petroleum. In: Ratledge, C. (eds) Biochemistry of microbial degradation. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1687-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1687-9_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4738-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1687-9

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