Requirements for BTEX Biodegradation

• Presence of appropriate microbial population--generally, microorganisms that are able to degrade petroleum products are ubiquitous in the subsurface environment
• Energy source and a carbon source--organic carbon is utilized both as an energy source by releasing electrons during transformation and it is also used by the cell for maintenance and growth
• Electron acceptor--the electrons released by the carbon transformation must be taken up by some other chemical
• Nutrients--for bacterial growth to occur certain nutrients are needed (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, etc.)
• Appropriate environmental conditions--microbial activity is dependent upon many environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, salinity, pressure, concentration of pollutants, and presence of inhibitors.