Subject: motor oil decomposition

From: [email-masked]
Date: 20 Feb 1995 15:22:52 -0800

does anyone know if there are organisms in nature that break down motor oil
given enough time?  As you probably know many people dispose of oil in the
terrestrial environment. What eventualy  happens to this oil.  Will it 
end up in the water supply?

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 21 Feb 1995 22:11:58 -0800

> end up in the water supply?

A grad student here recently worked on bioremediation of diesel spills.  
In greenhouse trials comparing unfertilized soil, fertilized soil, a 
specially engineered bacterium, the special bacteria with fertilizer, and 
a control, she found no significant difference between the non-control 
treatments, and a significant increase in rate of diesel breakdown over a 
three month period.  After three months, the soil that had been 
fertilized had gone from 5000 ppm diesel to under 100 (possibly under 10, 
I forget...)

Hope this helps,
	cur
	[email-masked]