The Biodegradation of Oil by Aerobic Bacteria Jon Williams. At the time this was written, Jon Williams was in the ninth grade at Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jon had used inexpensive, readily available materials in a simple but effective procedure. Introduction Oil released into the environment is a well-recognized problem in today's world.
Oil spills affect many species of plants and animals in the environment, as well as humans.
The search for effective and efficient methods of oil removal from contaminated sites has intensified in recent years, in part due to the enormous publicity of the Exxon Valdez spill. One promising method that has been researched is the biological degradation of oil by bacteria. The bacteria metabolize the oil in much the same way humans convert food into energy. Like food, oil is a compound rich in carbon. The following experiment can be used to demonstrate that some types of bacteria can degrade oil.