Hydrocarbon utilizing microbes

In fuel systems containing water, certain microorganisms can survive. Typical species are the bacterial anaerobe Disulfovibrio and the fungal species Cladosporium resinae. These microorganisms are called hydrocarbon utilizing microbes and often referred to as HUM or HUM-bugs. They can initiate corrosion in fuel systems. 

Treat system with a ferrous metal corrosion inhibitor Check for the presence of hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes or sulfate-reducing microbes treat fuel/water with a biocide... 

The Biocube aerobic biofilter is an ex situ off-gas filtration system that is commercially available. The technology utilizes microbes to biologically oxidize volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and complex odors. It can be used in conjunction with vapor-vacuum-extraction (VVE), a process that draws gases from subsurface soil. These gases often require further treatment before being released into the atmosphere. Biocube has been field tested and has been implemented at over 100 sites for the treatment of hydrocarbon vapors. The technology has also been successfully used for odor control at a variety of sites. In addition, the Biocube system can treat odor and VOC emissions simultaneously. The units are modular, so additional stacks can be added as needed for increased flow and/or removal rates. 

The Marine Biotechnology Institute (MBI) was founded in 1987 for the study and applications of biodiversity in marine environments. Currently, and within the scope of the present book, the research area of relevance is industrial applications of microbiology . The institute also performs research in C02 fixation. The Applied Microbiology Laboratory is searching cost-effective utilization of microbes for environmental conservation and restoration. In particular, the decontamination of areas polluted with petroleum-related compounds has been addressed. Attention has been paid to removal of polycyclic hydrocarbons. They are also developing processing methods for the conversion of biomass and organic wastes by methane fermentation. 

Trans Coastal Marine Services (formerly Envirosystems, Inc.) and Louisiana State University (LSU) have developed several bioreactor systems to facihtate petroleum hydrocarbon mineralization and the bioremediation of organic wood preservatives utilizing an immobilized microbe bioreactor (IMBR) technology. These technologies can treat petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, pesticide-contaminated soils, and contaminated groundwater. 

Many of these anaerobic, SRB species possess the ability to utilize hydrocarbon fuel compounds as a nutrition source. These species are termed hydrocarbonutilizing microbes (HUM). Fuel containing linear paraffins, especially distillate... 

---