Oil- degrading bacteria are naturally present in the environment but cannot degrade an oil spill fast enough to avoid ecological damage. The actions of these bacteria can be speeded up by

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Oil-degrading bacteria require nutrients to grow and multiply. Nitrogen and phosphorus are often limiting factors in the environment for the proliferation of these bacteria. By adding these nutrients, the bacteria can grow more rapidly and thus degrade oil spills faster. Adding water or providing oil does not directly speed up the bacteria's actions, as the oil is already present in a spill scenario, and water does not enhance bacterial metabolism in this context. Sugar as a carbon source is not necessary because the bacteria are specifically adapted to use oil as their carbon source.

Oil- Degrading Bacteria Are Naturally Present in the Environment but Cannot