Preparation for treating oil pollution using biofilm-forming bacteria on biochar derived from rice husks

12/03/2024

Currently in the world, the oil exploitation and processing industry is an industry that brings huge economic and social benefits. Along with continuous development, the problem of environmental pollution caused by oil and its products is at an alarming rate. Specifically, oil-contaminated soil and water can be caused by two reasons: one is from the storage area, including activities such as rinsing, cooling tanks, cleaning machinery and equipment that spill gasoline and oil. Soil and water sources, rainwater overflowing through the warehouse area; Second, from the receiving port area includes activities such as ship cleaning water, oil pipeline water (when pulled from the sea to the deck), leaks in oil pipelines from ships to storage. Oil often contains cargo. thousands of different molecules, but most are saturated hydrocarbons with carbon numbers from 2 to 26 and aromatic hydrocarbons such as polycyclic hydrocarbons (HC), phenol, benzene. The content of aromatic HC components in contaminated soil Oil typically ranges from 100-150 ppm. Oils are often highly toxic and relatively persistent in the environment. The toxicity and impact of oil on the ecosystem are not the same but depend on the type of oil.

To solve the problem of oil pollution, treatment processes have been applied such as mechanical, physical, chemical, biological, in which, the biological process is one of the most thorough and eco-friendly treatment processes, being environmentally friendly and low cost. Among biodegradation processes, biofilm is one of the optimal, effective, and low-cost polluted oil treatment processes, so it has long been of interest in research and application in many countries around the world. use.

In Vietnam, in order to create biological products that can both thoroughly treat oil pollution and protect the environment at a low cost, scientists from the Institute of Biotechnology have recently successfully implemented it. Research topic: "Completing oil pollution treatment products using biofilm-forming bacteria on biochar derived from rice husks", code: UDPTCN 01/21-23 by Dr. Le Thi Nhi Cong presides over the implementation. The topic was evaluated by the Acceptance Council at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology level (meeting on December 27, 2023) as having practical significance and high scientific value and ranked "Excellent".

Scientists produced the product in the laboratory

Density of microorganisms presented in the product

The project has successfully produced a product to treat oil pollution using 4 strains of biofilm-forming bacteria on biochar derived from rice husks. The product is solid and has a microbial density of > 109 CFU/g. The product effectively removes saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons >90% after 7 days of testing. Comparing this product with other chemical and biological products on the market, it can be seen that this product is a combination of all three methods: physical (adsorption mechanism), chemical (transformation). substances) and biological (using microorganisms and biological media, does not pollute the environment). This product can be used in both soil and water environments.

Patent No. 37596

One of the four bacterial strains used to make this oil pollution treatment product has been granted a Patent (No. 37596) with the patent name being: "Biologically pure Acinetobacter baumanni QN01 strain has the ability to ability to create biofilm and decompose diesel, toluene, naphthalene, phenol and pyrene in petroleum. In addition, the project also accepts a Patent application for another strain and will have appraisal results in the near future. The preparations of the project have been tested and applied to treat oil pollution in oil-contaminated areas in Vietnam such as Van Phong, Khanh Hoa and, Thuong Tin.

Translated by Quoc Khanh
Link to Vietnamese version

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