Alcanivorax

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Alcanivorax is an alkane-degrading marine bacterium which propagates and becomes predominant in crude-oil-containing seawater when nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients are supplemented.[1]

[edit] Oil Biodegradation

Petroleum oil is toxic for most life forms and pollution of the environment by oil causes major ecological problems. A considerable amount of petroleum oil entering the sea is eliminated by the microbial biodegradation activities of microbial communities. Alcanivorax borkumensis is a recently discovered hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium and is probably the most important global oil degrader.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Martins VAP et al (2008). "Genomic Insights into Oil Biodegradation in Marine Systems", Microbial Biodegradation: Genomics and Molecular Biology. Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-17-2. 

[edit] External links

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