The effect of the petroleum on number of different groups of microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle

Abstract

Nitrogen is one of the main biogenic elements in petroleum-polluted ecosystems. Maintenance of its level in the
environment provided by the active behavior of various microorganisms participating in its cycle. In this regard, it gives interest
to the problem of petroleum contamination influence on the conversion of the nitrogen in the soil is closely related to practical
issues biodegradation. In all periods of the study, the number of nitro-fixing microorganisms and oligonitrophils in polluted soil
was higher than that of uncontaminated soil. An increase in the intensity of nitrogen fixation in contaminated soil may be due
to an increase in the content of readily available organic substances - alcohols, organic acids, amino acids and other compounds.
It correlates with an increase in the number of groups of anaerobic nitrogen fixers of the genus Clostridium. It is possible that
nitrogen-fixing microorganisms can use metabolic products of hydrocarbon oxidizing microorganisms.