Hydrocarbon degradation capacity and population dynamics of a microbial consortium obtained using a sequencing batch reactor in the presence of molasses

A native microbial consortium capable of degrading hydrocarbons was employed as an inoculum source in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) using molasses as a carbon source. The microbial biomass in the SBR was able to grow in the presence of molasses, degrading 88% of the reducing sugar. Moreover, the consortium produced in the SBR was capable of maintaining 75% of the capacity for biodegradation of oil with respect to the original capacity of the native microbial consortium. Monitoring of the microbial population structure was accomplished using PCR-DGGE. The results indicated that the microbial populations grown in molasses were stable during crude oil degradation, as judged by comparison to the population structure of the native microbial consortium. The results obtained demonstrated that molasses could be used as a carbon source to promote the growth of biomass with oildegrading capacity.