Biodegradation of isopropanol and acetone under denitrifying conditions by Thauera sp. TK001 for nitrate-mediated microbially enhanced oil recovery

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2017-07, Vol.334, p.68-75
• Main Authors: Fida, Tekle Tafese, Gassara, Fatma, Voordouw, Gerrit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-Propanol - metabolism; Acetone; Acetone - metabolism; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioreactors; Denitrification; Industrial Waste; Isopropyl alcohol; Microbially enhanced oil recovery; Nitrate reduction; Nitrates - metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction; Petroleum - metabolism; Pressure; Thauera - growth & development; Thauera - metabolism; Thauera sp. TK001; Waste Water
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.03.061

•Nitrate-reducing, isopropanol- and acetone-degrading bacteria identified as Thauera sp. TK001was isolated from oil field.•Isopropanol and acetone were used as substrates for nitrate reduction by TK001 to improve production.•Biodegradation of isopropanol and acetone were coupled to the biotechnological applications in enhancing oil production.•The technology requires less energy input and costs than other technologies using Microbially Enhanced Oil Recovery. Amendment of reservoir fluid with injected substrates can enhance the growth and activity of microbes. The present study used isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or acetone to enhance the indigenous anaerobic nitrate-reducing bacterium Thauera sp. TK001. The strain was able to grow on IPA or acetone and nitrate. To monitor effects of strain TK001 on oil recovery, sand-packed columns containing heavy oil were flooded with minimal medium at atmospheric or high (400psi) pressure. Bioreactors were then inoculated with 0.5 pore volume (PV) of minimal medium containing Thauera sp. TK001 with 25mM of acetone or 22.2mM of IPA with or without 80mM nitrate. Incubation without flow for two weeks and subsequent injection with minimal medium gave an additional 17.0±6.7% of residual oil in place (ROIP) from low-pressure bioreactors and an additional 18.3% of ROIP from the high-pressure bioreactors. These results indicate that acetone or IPA, which are commonly used organic solvents, are good substrates for nitrate-mediated microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), comparable to glucose, acetate or molasses, tested previously. This technology may be used for coupling biodegradation of IPA and/or acetone in waste streams to MEOR where these waste streams are generated in close proximity to an oil field.