The influence of different states of oxygen supply on heptadecane mineraliz
ation has been investigated in resting cell suspensions of Pseudomonas naut
ica. The rate of heptadecane biodegraded was constant for oxygen concentrat
ions between 21% and 10% (v/v) (about 100% and 50% of air saturation, 230 a
nd 110 mu M, respectively). A decline in biodegradation rates occurred for
oxygen concentrations below 10% (about 50% of air saturation, 110 mu M) and
biodegradation stopped with 0.21% oxygen (2.3 mu M). In the presence of 1%
(11 mu M) of oxygen, no CO2 was produced, showing that complete mineralisa
tion of heptadecane was blocked. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.