Patent ID: 8921091

Claim:
A method for the oxidative degradation of aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons in water, soil or a mixture thereof comprising: contacting a microorganism with colloidal particles and activating those colloidal particles by transferring at least one electron from the microorganism to the colloidal particles; and then contacting aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons in water, soil or a mixture thereof with the colloidal particles consisting of at least one metal oxide that oxidizes the aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons to a corresponding alcohol, aldehyde, carbon acid, acetate, carbon dioxide or carbonic acid, wherein the colloidal particles are a monodisperse metal oxide crystal or an aggregate of metal oxide particles, wherein the metal oxide consists of: (a) an iron oxide selected from the group consisting of an iron oxide, an iron oxyhydroxide and an iron oxide-hydroxide/chloride, or (b) a mixed oxide, wherein the mixed oxide is: (i) an iron oxide selected from the group consisting of an iron oxide, an iron oxyhydroxide and an iron oxide-hydroxide/chloride, and (ii) at least one of the group consisting of aluminum oxide, manganese oxide, and silicon oxide, wherein iron cations of the iron oxide are in the oxidation state +2, +3, or a combination of +2 and +3, wherein the colloidal particles have a particle size from 1 to 200 nm.