Enhancement Biodegradation of n-alkanes from Crude Oil Contaminated Seawater

The aim of this research was to optimize bioremediation of seawater samples spiked with 1000 mg/L crude oil for removal of n-alkanes (C sub(12)H sub(26) to C sub(34)H sub(70)). Bio augmentation experiments were performed at laboratory scale: each bioreactor contained 250 ml dispersed crude-oil-contaminated seawater, indigenous acclimatized microorganism and nitrogen and phosphorus at concentrations based on central composite design (CCD) calculations. Three independent variables, time, nitrogen and phosphorus, were investigated and the experimental data obtained were fitted to a second-order polynomial mathematical model with multiple regressions. The obtained Model F-value of 97.12 and probability F