Arabian light 150 asphaltene biotransformation with n-alkanes as co-substrates

The biotransformation of Arabian Light oil asphaltene has been studied with an n-alkane mixture as a co-substrate. The experiments were conducted in synthetic sea water with a hydrocarbonoclastic mixed population of 10 bacterial strains. After a one-month exposure, the mass loss of asphaltenes in the test flasks was partly due to an abiotic process (18 %) and to a biotic process by co-metabolism (5 %). Hydrocarbons previously trapped in the asphaltenic matrix were also released in the evaporation control flasks. Aromatic and polar fractions appeared in both test and control flasks were analysed by GC/FID, GC/MS and FTIR showing qualitative and quantitative differences, involving the identification of aromatic degradation products.