Modeling of Microscale Transport in Biological Processes

Chapter 2

Microbial Strategies for Oil Biodegradation

G.E. Kapellos¹    Laboratory of Transport Phenomena & Physicochemical Hydrodynamics, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, Greece¹Chapter coordinator.

Abstract

The current understanding of the fundamental microscale mechanisms that underlie the biodegradation of oily substrates by microbial communities is concisely reviewed in this chapter. Depending on a microbe's affinity for the oily phase and its ability to proliferate in multicellular structures, three fundamental growth modes are identified: suspended interfacial (flatlander's), and biofilm. Each growth mode might involve one, or more, substrate uptake tactics depending on the microbe's preference ...