Modeling the Effects of Bile and Nutrients on Microbes and the Evolution of Temperature, Electrical Conductivity, Surface Tension and pH during Biodegradation of Used Engine Oil Contaminated Water

Abstract

At five levels of Bile (No bile, 1.2 ml, 1.4 ml, 1.6 ml and 1.8 ml) and two nutrient levels (Nutrient medium and No Nutrients)  the effect of Bile and Nutrients on microbes and the evolution of  temperature, electrical conductivity, surface tension and pH were studied and modeled during the bioremediation of a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated water. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for ?=0.05 was used to show the variations in parameter values according to the levels of Bile and Nutrients. Microbial colony numbers and pH generally did not show a uniform evolution trend as the level of Bile increased but showed an increasing trend with increment in Nutrients level. Temperature increased with increasing Bile and Nutrients levels only when either Bile or Nutrients Medium was the lone supplement in the experiment. Electrical conductivity increased with increasing levels of Bile whiles surface tension decreased with increasing levels of Bile and Nutrients.

Keywords: Bile, Nutrients, microbes, temperature, electrical conductivity, surface tension, pH Biodegradation, Bioremediation