Deep-sea bacteria: growth and utilization of n-hexadecane at in situ temperature and pressure.

A mixed culture of bacteria was obtained from the sediment-water inferface of a core sample taken off the coast of Florida at a depth of 4940m. The mixed culture wasfound capable of utilizing n-hexadecane as a sole carbon source for growth at the insitu temperature (4C) and pressure (500atm). The rate of utilization under deep-ocean conditions was found to be much slower than the rate observed at ambient pressure(1 atm) and low temperature (4C).