ETTL Bioremediation Research:
Microphotographs of Microbes at Work

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MICROBES ENGORGING HYDROCARBONS


Figure A: Hydrocarbon constituents being engorged by a bacterial cell. The engorged material will eventually form an inclusion known as a mesosome (M). This photo shows the uptake of the oil. Note the indention of the bacterial membrane (in the upper left) where oil is being taken into the cell's interior.


Figure B: Another photograph showing oil uptake by
a cell. The engorged mesosomes are enclosed by the
cell membrane (CM), as denoted by the arrow points.

 

Figure C: Hydrocarbon droplets have been completely engorged by this cell. Each droplet is encased by a single membrane structure, known as an ultramembrane (UM). The droplets will be converted by the bacterium to fatty acids which later will be converted to energy to sustain the bacterium.


For more information on the nature of microbial activity
in ETTL's bioremediation technique, contact ETTL's
Steve Kennedy

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