Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments
Published on: October 2, 2012
[Estimation of the hydrocarbon-oxidizing activity of microorganisms]
S B Petrikevich1, E N Kovzev, A N Shkidchenko
1Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Oblast, 142290 Russia.
Abstract:
A method allowing the microorganisms growing on substrates with a low water solubility (oil, fuel oil, resins, and asphalthenes) to be isolated and counted was developed. An advantage of the method is its ability to estimate the oil-utilizing activity of each strain visually according to the decolorized zones formed during its growth on oil products. The sizes of these zones indicate which oil-degrading strain is most active.
Related Concept Videos
Bioremediation
Lipid Catabolism
Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods

