3.2. Bacterial growth, biosurfactant production and residual crude oil
removal
It has been reported that the endurance of microbes in hydrocarbons
supplemented medium is a key factor in determining the
biodegradation of hydrocarbons either in soil or liquid phase [7].
Since the strain USTBa was isolated from a petroleum reservoir,
they could survive and adapt to the oil-contaminated aqueous
medium very easily [3,18]. Particularly, there are only a few microorganisms
known to be surface-active compounds producers while
growing on crude oil hydrocarbons [4].