Growth of bacteria in an oil shale retort water by indigenous microorganisms.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that relatively high aerobic and anaerobic (or facultatively anaerobic) heterotrophic bacterial population densities occur as indicated by an increase in the turbidity of freshly filtered (0.4 ..mu..m) Omega-9 retort water after a few days incubation at room temperature. Growth of these microorganisms alters the nature and concentrations of dissolved organic and inorganic constituents. Bacteria are the only microorganisms known to have demonstrated a capacity to grow in undiluted Omega-9 retort water. Bacterial growth experiments are performed for a variety of reasons. In some situations microorganisms are cultivated to yield a specific product, as a protein source, or because their growth in a particular medium removes certain undesired constituents. Nutritional and physical parameters will often govern the rate at which growing microbial populations proliferate. It was considered important, therefore, to establish what rates of bacterial growth were occurring in the Omega-9 retort water by indigenous, mixed bacterial populations. The study reported here was devised to assess bacterial growth characteristics in an example retort water. Information of this type may have implications in 1) the development of biological treatment systems, 2) establishing hazard assessment and abatement criteria, and 3) in assessing the stability of research samples.