Authors: Uzochukwu C Ugochukwu Martin D Jones Ian M Head David A C Manning Claire I Fialips
Publish Date: 2013/04/16
Volume: 20, Issue: 9, Pages: 6445-6454
Abstract
The compositional changes of saturates aromatics resins and asphaltenes SARA fractions in aqueous clay/oil microcosm experiments with a hydrocarbondegrading microorganism community were analysed using Iatroscan The clay mineral samples used in this study were organomontmorillonite acidactivated montmorillonite and K Ca Zn and Cr montmorillonites produced by modifying the original montmorillonite sample The evaluation and quantification of biodegradation and adsorption were carried out using a combination of the Iatroscan and gravimetric analysis The SARA compositions in the presence of organomontmorillonite and acidactivated montmorillonite after incubation follow the same pattern in which the aromatic fraction is higher than the other fractions unlike in the presence of unmodified K Ca and Zn montmorillonites where the saturates fraction is higher than the other fractions Changes in SARA fractions due to biodegradation seemed to occur most in the presence of unmodified and calcium montmorillonites hence the removal of SARA fractions due to biodegradation was significant and enhanced in the presence of these two clay samples However biodegradation in the presence of organomontmorillonite and acidactivated and Cr montmorillonites was hindered The study indicated that Cr montmorillonite adsorbed resins most whereas Zn and K montmorillonites adsorbed aromatics most after incubationWe thank Berny Bowler Paul Donohue Phil Green and Ian Harrison for the laboratory support received from them Generally we are grateful to Petroleum Technology Development Fund PTDF of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for funding this project and the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences for providing the facilities used in this study
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