Bacterial Degradation of Vegetable Oils |
| |
Authors: | M Gloria Pereira Stephen M Mudge John Latchford |
| |
Institution: | School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales , Bangor, Anglesey, LL59 5EY, UK |
| |
Abstract: | Following initial experiments presented elsewhere (2IOPS), the bacterial degradation of two vegetable oils was investigated in some detail. the number of aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria, oil degrading and sulphate reducing bacteria were quantified during simulated spills on a salt marsh. the sediment fatty acid composition was also studied using GC-MS analysis. Degradation of linseed and sunflower oils was concomitant with an increase in the numbers of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Fatty acids analysis revealed preferential degradation of the principal components of the oils (18:3ω3 for linseed oil and 18:2ω6 for sunflower oil). the presence of several isomers of the usual polyunsaturated fatty acids was also detected. the identification of some of these new fatty acids has been carried out. Possible pathways of degradation of these vegetable oils are suggested. |
| |
Keywords: | Sunflower and linseed oil aerobic and anaerobic bacteria oil degrading bacteria fatty acids degradation salt marsh |
|
|