BACTERIAL CONSORTIUM UTILIZATION IN DEGRADATION OF PETROLEUM FROM PETAPAHAN, RIAU

Abstract

The process of petroleum degradation using the right combination of microbes in a mixed culture will guarantee the success of the petroleum degradation process. In a consortium, several types of bacteria works together to degrade oil-polluting compounds in accordance with the specificity of the substrate. This study used a collection of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial isolates using three consortia namely consortium I using 7 isolates, consortium II using two new isolates and consortium III using the group of Pseudomonas bacteria. Test of oil degradation level was based on the degradation level parameters on Total Hydrocarbon Petroleum (TPH) and calculated by gravimetric method. The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) test was calculated using the Dichromate Reflux Technique Standard method and analysis of petroleum compounds which had been degraded was done by GC-MS method. From the research that has been carried out using three consortiums, consortium 1 was showed the best result, which used 7 different types of isolates. Consortium 1 is the best consortium in degrading petroleum with a TPH level of 77.70 % and a COD reduction of 89.83 %. The results of GC / MS analysis of mixed culture by using 7 bacterial isolates contained 4 compounds that were 100 % degraded, namely 7- methyltridecane, tetradecana, 1- eikosane, and triacontane.