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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 November; 42(5): 830-837

Microbiological Degradation of Organic Components in Oil Shale Retort Water: Organic Acids

Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Battelle Memorial Institute, Richland, Washington 99352

ABSTRACT

The losses of benzoic acid and a homologous series of both mono- and dibasic aliphatic acids in oil shale retort water were monitored with time (21 days) in liquid culture (4% retort water, vol/vol) inoculated with soil. The organic acids constituted approximately 12% of the dissolved organic carbon in retort water, which served as the sole source of carbon and energy in these studies. The levels of the acids in solution were reduced by 80 to 90% within 9 days of incubation. From mass balance calculations, the decrease in dissolved organic carbon with time of incubation was equal to the formation of CO₂ and bacterial cell carbon. The decrease in the level of the acid components, either from degradation to CO₂ or incorporation into bacteria, would account for 70% of the loss in dissolved organic carbon within the first 9 days of incubation and would account for 50% of the loss over the entire 21-day incubation period.