1
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Harrison SJ, Malkin SY, Joye SB. Dispersant addition, but not nutrients, stimulated blooms of multiple hydrocarbonoclastic genera in nutrient-replete coastal marine surface waters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 204:116490. [PMID: 38843703 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/17/2024]
Abstract
The range of impacts of chemical dispersants on indigenous marine microbial communities and their activity remains poorly constrained. We tested the response of nearshore surface waters chronically exposed to oil leakage from a downed platform and supplied with nutrients by the Mississippi River to Corexit dispersant and nutrient additions. As assessed using 14C-labeled tracers, hexadecane mineralization potential was orders of magnitude higher in all unamended samples than in previously assessed bathypelagic communities. Nutrient additions stimulated microbial mortality but did not affect community composition and had no generalizable effect on hydrocarbon mineralization potential. By contrast, Corexit amendments caused a rapid shift in community composition and a drawdown of inorganic nitrogen and orthophosphate though no generalizable effect on hydrocarbon mineralization potential. The hydrocarbonoclastic community's response to dispersants is largely driven by the relative availability of organic substrates and nutrients, underscoring the role of environmental conditions and multiple interacting stressors on hydrocarbon degradation potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Harrison
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sairah Y Malkin
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Samantha B Joye
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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2
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Langeloh H, Greer CW, Vergeynst L, Hakvåg S, Øverjordet IB, Bakke I, Sørensen L, Brakstad OG. Comparison of two field systems for determination of crude oil biodegradation in cold seawater. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:115919. [PMID: 38134872 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Marine oil spills have devastating environmental impacts and extrapolation of experimental fate and impact data from the lab to the field remains challenging due to the lack of comparable field data. In this work we compared two field systems used to study in situ oil depletion with emphasis on biodegradation and associated microbial communities. The systems were based on (i) oil impregnated clay beads and (ii) hydrophobic Fluortex adsorbents coated with thin oil films. The bacterial communities associated with the two systems displayed similar compositions of dominant bacterial taxa. Initial abundances of Oceanospirillales were observed in both systems with later emergences of Flavobacteriales, Alteromonadales and Rhodobacterales. Depletion of oil compounds was significantly faster in the Fluortex system and most likely related to the greater bioavailability of oil compounds as compared to the clay bead system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Langeloh
- The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Dept. of Biotechnology and Food Science, Sem Sælandsvei 6/8, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Charles W Greer
- National Research Council Canada, Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, 75 Bd de Mortagne, Boucherville, QC J4B 6Y4, Montreal, Canada; McGill University, Natural Resource Sciences, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9 Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Leendert Vergeynst
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds vej 10 D, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Sigrid Hakvåg
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Climate and Environment, Brattørkaia 17b, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Ida B Øverjordet
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Climate and Environment, Brattørkaia 17b, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Ingrid Bakke
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Climate and Environment, Brattørkaia 17b, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Lisbet Sørensen
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Climate and Environment, Brattørkaia 17b, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Odd G Brakstad
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Climate and Environment, Brattørkaia 17b, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
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3
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Yu X, Qi Z, Xiong D, An Y, Gao H, Yang M, Liu Z. Impact of mixing energy and dispersant dosage on oil dispersion and sedimentation with microplastics in the marine environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115542. [PMID: 37714077 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the fate of spilled oil in the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the sea has attracted attention of researchers. Merey crude oil and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were used as the experimental materials in this study. The effects of mixing energy and dispersant dosage on oil dispersion and sedimentation in the presence of MPs in the water column were investigated by laboratory experiments simulating actual sea conditions. The increase of mixing energy showed a promoting effect on oil dispersion. When the oscillation frequency increased from 140 rpm to 180 rpm, the oil dispersion efficiency (ODE) ranged from 2.1 %-3.7 % to 17.4 %-30.8 %, and the volumetric mean diameter (VMD) of the suspended oil droplets/MPs-oil agglomerates (MOA) decreased from 99.9-131.4 μm to 76.6-88.2 μm after 2 h oscillation. The application of chemical dispersant led to an increase in both the quantity and size of the formed sunken MPs-oil-dispersant agglomerates (MODA). At the dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR) of 1:5, the ODE declined from 77.7 % to 62.6 % when the MPs concentration increased from 0 to 150 mg/L, while the oil sinking efficiency (OSE) rose from 3.4 % to 15.6 % when the MPs increased from 25 to 150 mg/L; the maximum size of the sunken MODA reached 13.0 mm, and the total volume of the MODA formed per unit volume oil reached 389.7 μL/mL oil at the MPs concentration of 150 mg/L. Meanwhile, the results showed that the presence of MPs inhibited the oil dispersion by increasing the oil-water interfacial tension. The outcomes of this work may provide assistance in predicting the transport of spilled oil and developing emergency measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinping Yu
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Zhixin Qi
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Deqi Xiong
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Yaya An
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Huan Gao
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Miao Yang
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Ziyue Liu
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
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4
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Booth AM, Sørensen L, Brakstad OG, Ribicic D, Creese M, Arey JS, Lyon DY, Redman AD, Martin-Aparicio A, Camenzuli L, Wang N, Gros J. Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography with Peak Tracking for Screening of Constituent Biodegradation in Petroleum UVCB Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12583-12593. [PMID: 37590158 PMCID: PMC10469455 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum substances, as archetypical UVCBs (substances of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products, or biological substances), pose a challenge for chemical risk assessment as they contain hundreds to thousands of individual constituents. It is particularly challenging to determine the biodegradability of petroleum substances since each constituent behaves differently. Testing the whole substance provides an average biodegradation, but it would be effectively impossible to obtain all constituents and test them individually. To overcome this challenge, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) in combination with advanced data-handling algorithms was applied to track and calculate degradation half-times (DT50s) of individual constituents in two dispersed middle distillate gas oils in seawater. By tracking >1000 peaks (representing ∼53-54% of the total mass across the entire chromatographic area), known biodegradation patterns of oil constituents were confirmed and extended to include many hundreds not currently investigated by traditional one-dimensional GC methods. Approximately 95% of the total tracked peak mass biodegraded after 64 days. By tracking the microbial community evolution, a correlation between the presence of functional microbial communities and the observed progression of DT50s between chemical classes was demonstrated. This approach could be used to screen the persistence of GC × GC-amenable constituents of petroleum substance UVCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - J. Samuel Arey
- Oleolytics
LLC, Lebanon, New Jersey 08833, United States
| | | | - Aaron D. Redman
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
- Concawe, Brussels 1160, Belgium
| | | | - Louise Camenzuli
- ExxonMobil
Petroleum & Chemical B.V., Machelen 1831, Belgium
- Concawe, Brussels 1160, Belgium
| | | | - Jonas Gros
- Scientific
Consultant, Villars-sur-Glâne 1752, Switzerland
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5
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Abou-Khalil C, Ji W, Prince RC, Coelho GM, Nedwed TJ, Lee K, Boufadel MC. Field fluorometers for assessing oil dispersion at sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 192:115143. [PMID: 37295253 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Oil dispersion by the application of chemical dispersants is an important tool in oil spill response, but it is difficult to quantify in the field in a timely fashion that is useful for coordinators and decision-makers. One option is the use of rugged portable field fluorometers that can deliver essentially instantaneous results if access is attainable. The United States Coast Guard has suggested, in their Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technologies (SMART) protocols, that successful oil dispersion can be identified by a five-fold increase in oil fluorescence. Here we test three commercial fluorometers with different excitation/emission windows (SeaOWL, Cyclops 7FO, and Cyclops 7F-G) that might prove useful for such applications. Results show that they have significantly different dynamic ranges for detecting oil and that using them (or similar instruments) in combination is probably the best option for successfully assessing the effectiveness of oil dispersion operations. Nevertheless, the rapid dilution of dispersed oil means that measurements must be made within an hour or two of dispersion, suggesting that one feasible scenario would be monitoring ship-applied dispersants by vessels following close behind the dispersant application vessel. Alternatively, autonomous submersibles might be pre-deployed to monitor aerial dispersant application, although the logistical challenges in a real spill would be substantial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Abou-Khalil
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Wen Ji
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | | | - Gina M Coelho
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Sterling, VA 20166, USA
| | - Tim J Nedwed
- ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co., Houston, TX 77252, USA
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ecosystem Science, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E6, Canada
| | - Michel C Boufadel
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
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6
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Zhou Y, Wang Y, Yang L, Kong Q, Zhang H. Microbial degradation mechanisms of surface petroleum contaminated seawater in a typical oil trading port. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 324:121420. [PMID: 36906058 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum hydrocarbons are significant new persistent organic pollutants for marine oil spill risk areas. Oil trading ports, in turn, have become major bearers of the risk of offshore oil pollution. However, studies on the molecular mechanisms of microbial degradation of petroleum pollutants by natural seawater are limited. Here, an in situ microcosm study was conducted. Combined with metagenomics, differences in metabolic pathways and in the gene abundances of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) are revealed under different conditions. About 88% degradation of TPH was shown after 3 weeks of treatment. The positive responders to TPH were concentrated in the genera Cycloclasticus, Marivita and Sulfitobacter of the orders Rhodobacterales and Thiotrichales. The genera Marivita, Roseobacter, Lentibacter and Glaciecola were key degradation species when mixing dispersants with oil, and all of the above are from the Proteobacteria phylum. The analysis showed that the biodegradability of aromatic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and dioxin were enhanced after the oil spill, and genes with higher abundances of bphAa, bsdC, nahB, doxE and mhpD were found, but the photosynthesis-related mechanism was inhibited. The dispersant treatment effectively stimulated the microbial degradation of TPH and then accelerated the succession of microbial communities. Meanwhile, functions such as bacterial chemotaxis and carbon metabolism (cheA, fadeJ and fadE) were better developed, but the degradation of persistent organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was weakened. Our study provides insights into the metabolic pathways and specific functional genes for oil degradation by marine microorganisms and will help improve the application and practice of bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumiao Zhou
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Likun Yang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Qiang Kong
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Huanxin Zhang
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250000, China.
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7
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Kampouris ID, Gründger GF, Christensen JH, Greer CW, Kjeldsen KU, Boone W, Meire L, Rysgaard S, Vergeynst L. Long-term patterns of hydrocarbon biodegradation and bacterial community composition in epipelagic and mesopelagic zones of an Arctic fjord. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 446:130656. [PMID: 36603421 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Oil spill attenuation in Arctic marine environments depends on oil-degrading bacteria. However, the seasonally harsh conditions in the Arctic such as nutrient limitations and sub-zero temperatures limit the activity even for bacteria capable of hydrocarbon metabolism at low temperatures. Here, we investigated whether the variance between epipelagic (seasonal temperature and inorganic nutrient variations) and mesopelagic zone (stable environmental conditions) could limit the growth of oil-degrading bacteria and lead to lower oil biodegradation rates in the epipelagic than in the mesopelagic zone. Therefore, we deployed absorbents coated with three oil types in a SW-Greenland fjord system at 10-20 m (epipelagic) and 615-650 m (mesopelagic) water depth for one year. During this period we monitored the development and succession of the bacterial biofilms colonizing the oil films by 16S rRNA gene amplicon quantification and sequencing, and the progression of oil biodegradation by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry oil fingerprinting analysis. The removal of hydrocarbons was significantly different, with several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons showing longer half-life times in the epipelagic than in the mesopelagic zone. Bacterial community composition and density (16S rRNA genes/ cm2) significantly differed between the two zones, with total bacteria reaching to log-fold higher densities (16S rRNA genes/cm2) in the mesopelagic than epipelagic oil-coated absorbents. Consequently, the environmental conditions in the epipelagic zone limited oil biodegradation performance by limiting bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis D Kampouris
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Section for Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Grundger Friederike Gründger
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Section for Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jan H Christensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Charles W Greer
- National Research Council Canada, Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kasper Urup Kjeldsen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Wieter Boone
- Flanders Marine Institute, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Lorenz Meire
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research, Yerseke 4401 NT, the Netherlands; Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | - Søren Rysgaard
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Section for Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Leendert Vergeynst
- Arctic Research Centre, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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8
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Ji W, Abou-Khalil C, Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma M, Boufadel M, Lee K. Post-Formation of Oil Particle Aggregates: Breakup and Biodegradation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2341-2350. [PMID: 36723450 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Spilled oil slicks are likely to break into droplets in the subtidal and intertidal zones of seashores due to wave energy. The nonliving suspended fine particles in coastal ecosystems can interact with the dispersed oil droplets, resulting in the formation of Oil Particle Aggregates (OPAs). Many investigations assumed that these aggregates will settle due to the particles' high density. Recent studies, however, reported that some particles penetrate the oil droplets, which results in further breakup while forming smaller OPAs that remain suspended in the water column. Here, we investigated the interaction of crude oil droplets with intertidal and subtidal sediments, as well as artificial pure kaolinite, in natural seawater. Results showed that the interaction between oil droplets and intertidal sediments was not particularly stable, with an Oil Trapping Efficiency (OTE) < 25%. When using subtidal sediments, OTE reached 56%. With artificial kaolinite, OPA formation and breakup were more significant (OTE reaching up to 67%) and occurred faster (within 12 h). Oil chemistry analysis showed that the biodegradation of oil in seawater (half-life of 485 h) was significantly enhanced with the addition of sediments, with half-lives of 305, 265, and 150 h when adding intertidal sediments, subtidal sediments, and pure kaolinite, respectively. Such results reveal how the sediments' shape and size affect the various oil-sediment interaction mechanisms, and the subsequent impact on the microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Future studies should consider investigating the application of fine (several microns) and sharp (elongated-sheeted) sediments as a nondestructive and nontoxic technique for dispersing marine oil spills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Ji
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 MLK Blvd., Newark, New Jersey07102, United States
| | - Charbel Abou-Khalil
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 MLK Blvd., Newark, New Jersey07102, United States
| | - Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 MLK Blvd., Newark, New Jersey07102, United States
| | - Michel Boufadel
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 MLK Blvd., Newark, New Jersey07102, United States
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, NSB2Y 4A2, Canada
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9
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Gofstein TR, Leigh MB. Metatranscriptomic shifts suggest shared biodegradation pathways for Corexit 9500 components and crude oil in Arctic seawater. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 15:51-59. [PMID: 36177554 PMCID: PMC10103760 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
While the genes and pathways responsible for petroleum biodegradation in marine environments have received substantial attention, considerably less is known about those active in the biodegradation of the commonly applied chemical dispersant Corexit 9500. Yet, their fate in the Arctic marine environment is an increasingly important unknown. To elucidate the genes and pathways active in the biodegradation of oil and dispersants, we performed metatranscriptomic sequencing on microbial communities in Arctic seawater exposed to oil, Corexit, or both for 0, 5, and 30 days in a mesocosm incubation experiment. While oil and Corexit stimulated significantly different metatranscriptomic profiles overall, both enriched a suite of fatty acid degradation gene transcripts. Based on the gene transcripts observed and the chemical structures of Corexit 9500 surfactant components, we propose a hypothetical pathway for Corexit surfactant biodegradation in which surfactant ester groups are transformed into fatty acids that are then funnelled into the β-oxidation fatty acid degradation pathway. Several microbial taxa within Oceanospirillales, Pseudomonadales, and Alteromonadales were associated with either oil-only or Corexit-only exposure, potentially implicating them in the degradation of these mixtures. Metabolic gene transcripts were associated with diverse gammaproteobacterial lineages, with many genera exhibiting functional redundancy. These findings offer new insight into the potential genes, pathways, and microbial consortia involved in the biodegradation of Corexit 9500 in the Arctic marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor R. Gofstein
- Institute of Arctic BiologyUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistryUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | - Mary Beth Leigh
- Institute of Arctic BiologyUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
- Department of Biology and WildlifeUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
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10
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Techtmann SM, Santo Domingo J, Conmy R, Barron M. Impacts of dispersants on microbial communities and ecological systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:1095-1106. [PMID: 36648524 PMCID: PMC10111227 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12332-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Accidental oil spills can result in catastrophic ecological insults and therefore require rapid intervention to mitigate the potential impacts to aquatic ecosystems. One of the largest oil spills, known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred in the Spring of 2010 near the coast of Louisiana (USA) due to an explosion during oil drilling activities. Millions of gallons of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico, impacting thousands of ocean miles and coastal areas linked to the gulf. Among the actions taken during the remediation efforts was the unprecedented large use of Corexit dispersants, including at the subsurface to prevent oil from reaching the surface. While there is evidence that dispersants can accelerate the biodegradation of oil, reports on their potential toxicity to aquatic biota and to microbial functions have also been documented. In this review, we will examine the most recent literature on the impact of dispersants on microbial communities implicated in oil degradation and overall ecological networks. The primary focus will be on studies using Corexit but other dispersants will be discussed if data are available. We will share the literature gaps identified and discuss future work that is needed to reconcile some of the discrepancies found on the effectiveness of dispersants on oil degradation and their potential toxicity. KEY POINTS: • Chemical dispersants have been applied as a chemical response measure for oil spills. • The effects of chemical dispersants on microbial communities have been the subject of substantial research. • This work seeks to review recent work on the impact of chemical dispersants on oil biodegradation, microbial communities, and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Techtmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
| | - Jorge Santo Domingo
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Robyn Conmy
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Mace Barron
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA
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11
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Prosser CM, Davis CW, Bragin GE, Camenzuli L. Using weight of evidence to assess degradation potential of UVCB hydrocarbon solvents. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2023. [PMID: 36600450 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Hydrocarbon solvents are a diverse group of petrochemical substances that are identified as unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products, or biological materials (UVCBs) and may contain tens of thousands of individual chemical constituents. As such, it is generally not possible to analytically resolve every chemical constituent in a hydrocarbon solvent. This, along with the low water solubility and/or high vapor pressure of constituents, precludes the use of many standardized tests designed to determine biodegradation in the environment (e.g., Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] 309). A weight of evidence approach may be needed to reduce uncertainty to an acceptable level such that a determination on the biodegradation of the substance can be drawn. Based on the OECD 2019 weight of evidence guidance, we present a framework using various lines of evidence that can be used to evaluate the biodegradation of a UVCB solvent in a weight of evidence approach. The lines of evidence include whole substance testing, data on representative constituents, quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models, and biological plausibility. Using these lines of evidence, "Hydrocarbon, C11-C14, normal alkane, isoalkane, cyclic, <2% aromatics" (EC# 926-141-6) was evaluated in a case study. Data from three whole substance tests, 43 constituents (representing 152 data points), three QSAR models and evidence of microbial degradation pathways were evaluated. Based on the available data, it is concluded that the solvent for the case study is not expected to persist in the environment. This framework sets out a real-world example of how the weight of evidence can be used to evaluate hydrocarbon solvents. While focused on persistence, similar approaches can be used to evaluate other endpoints such as bioaccumulation and toxicity. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:1-11. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Craig W Davis
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gail E Bragin
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc., Annandale, New Jersey, USA
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12
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Song X, Zhang B, Cao Y, Liu B, Chen B. Shrimp-waste based dispersant as oil spill treating agent: Biodegradation of dispersant and dispersed oil. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 439:129617. [PMID: 35872457 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The emerging demand for the enhancement of biodegradation of persistent organic pollutants from marine oil spills using oil-treating agents to minimize the environmental impacts promotes the development of green dispersants. Shrimp waste is a potential raw material to generate green dispersants. The biodegradability of dispersed oil and dispersants themselves are key factors for the national consideration of the approval, stockpile, and usage of dispersants. However, it is unknown whether shrimp-waste-based dispersant (SWD) has high bioavailability or facilitates the biodegradation of dispersed oil. In this study, we tackled the biodegradation of oil dispersed by a purified SWD. Furthermore, the SWD biodegradability was evaluated by exploring the degradation genes via metagenomic sequencing, analyzing the enzymatic activities for dispersant biodegradation by molecular docking, and discussing the SWD toxicity. We discovered that the SWD facilitated the biodegradation of two crude oils (Alaska North Slope and Marine Fuel-No.6). The metagenomic analysis with molecular docking showed that fresh seawater had feasible enzymes to degrade the SWD to safety components. Additionally, the SWD was low toxic and high bioactive. The findings helped confirm that the purified SWD is an effective and eco-sustainable marine oil spill treating agent and tracked the biodegradation of dispersed oil and the SWD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Song
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3×5, Canada
| | - Baiyu Zhang
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3×5, Canada.
| | - Yiqi Cao
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3×5, Canada
| | - Bo Liu
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3×5, Canada
| | - Bing Chen
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3×5, Canada
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13
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Abou-Khalil C, Prince RC, Greer CW, Lee K, Boufadel MC. Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Upper Parts of Sandy Beaches. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8124-8131. [PMID: 35580303 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The biodegradation of dispersed crude oil in the ocean is relatively rapid (a half-life of a few weeks). However, it is often much slower on shorelines, usually attributed to low moisture content, nutrient limitation, and higher oil concentrations in beaches than in dispersed plumes. Another factor may be the increased salinity of the upper intertidal and supratidal zones because these parts of the beach are potentially subject to prolonged evaporation and only intermittent inundation. We have investigated whether such an increase in salinity has inhibitory effects on oil biodegradation in seashores. Lightly weathered Hibernia crude oil was added to beach sand at 1 or 10 mL/kg, and fresh seawater, at salinities of 30, 90, and 160 g/L, was added to 20% saturation. The biodegradation of oil was slower at higher salinities, where the half-life increased from 40 days at 30 g/L salts to 58 and 76 days at 90 and 160 g/L salts, respectively, and adding fertilizers somewhat enhanced oil biodegradation. Increased oil concentration in the sand, from 1 to 10 mL/kg, slowed the half-life by about 10-fold. Consequently, occasional irrigation with fertilization could be a suitable bioremediation strategy for the upper parts of contaminated beaches. However, dispersing oil at sea is probably the most suitable option for the optimal removal of spilled crude oil from the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Abou-Khalil
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roger C Prince
- Stonybrook Apiary, Pittstown, New Jersey 08867, United States
| | - Charles W Greer
- Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec H4P 2R2, Canada
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Ecosystem Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6, Canada
| | - Michel C Boufadel
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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Davis CW, Camenzuli L, Redman AD. Predicting Primary Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Aquatic Systems: Integrating System and Molecular Structure Parameters using a Novel Machine-Learning Framework. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1359-1369. [PMID: 35262215 PMCID: PMC9320815 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) models for predicting primary biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons have been previously developed. These models use experimental data generated under widely varied conditions, the effects of which are not captured adequately within model formalisms. As a result, they exhibit variable predictive performance and are unable to incorporate the role of study design and test conditions on the assessment of environmental persistence. To address these limitations, a novel machine-learning System-Integrated Model (HC-BioSIM) is presented, which integrates chemical structure and test system variability, leading to improved prediction of primary disappearance time (DT50) values for petroleum hydrocarbons in fresh and marine water. An expanded, highly curated database of 728 experimental DT50 values (181 unique hydrocarbon structures compiled from 13 primary sources) was used to develop and validate a supervised model tree machine-learning model. Using relatively few parameters (6 system and 25 structural parameters), the model demonstrated significant improvement in predictive performance (root mean square error = 0.26, R2 = 0.67) over existing QSPR models. The model also demonstrated improved accuracy of persistence (P) categorization (i.e., "Not P/P/vP"), with an accuracy of 96.8%, and false-positive and -negative categorization rates of 0.4% and 2.7%, respectively. This significant improvement in DT50 prediction, and subsequent persistence categorization, validates the need for models that integrate experimental design and environmental system parameters into biodegradation and persistence assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1359-1369. © 2022 ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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15
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Péquin B, Cai Q, Lee K, Greer CW. Natural attenuation of oil in marine environments: A review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113464. [PMID: 35231783 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Natural attenuation is an important process for oil spill management in marine environments. Natural attenuation affects the fate of oil by physical, chemical, and biological processes, which include evaporation, dispersion, dissolution, photo-oxidation, emulsification, oil particle aggregation, and biodegradation. This review examines the cumulative knowledge regarding these natural attenuation processes as well as their simulation and prediction using modelling approaches. An in-depth discussion is provided on how oil type, microbial community and environmental factors contribute to the biodegradation process. It describes how our understanding of the structure and function of indigenous oil degrading microbial communities in the marine environment has been advanced by the application of next generation sequencing tools. The synergetic and/or antagonist effects of oil spill countermeasures such as the application of chemical dispersants, in-situ burning and nutrient enrichment on natural attenuation were explored. Several knowledge gaps were identified regarding the synergetic and/or antagonistic effects of active response countermeasures on the natural attenuation/biodegradation process. This review highlighted the need for field data on both the effectiveness and potential detrimental effects of oil spill response options to support modelling and decision-making on their selection and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérangère Péquin
- McGill University, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Qinhong Cai
- McGill University, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Ecosystem Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles W Greer
- McGill University, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada; Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Recent Developments and Advancements in Graphene-Based Technologies for Oil Spill Cleanup and Oil-Water Separation Processes. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 12:nano12010087. [PMID: 35010035 PMCID: PMC8746374 DOI: 10.3390/nano12010087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The vast demand for petroleum industry products led to the increased production of oily wastewaters and has led to many possible separation technologies. In addition to production-related oily wastewater, direct oil spills are associated with detrimental effects on the local ecosystems. Accordingly, this review paper aims to tackle the oil spill cleanup issue as well as water separation by providing a wide range of graphene-based technologies. These include graphene-based membranes; graphene sponges; graphene-decorated meshes; graphene hydrogels; graphene aerogels; graphene foam; and graphene-coated cotton. Sponges and aerogels modified by graphene and reduced graphene oxide demonstrated effective oil water separation owing to their superhydrophobic/superoleophilic properties. In addition, oil particles are intercepted while allowing water molecules to penetrate the graphene-oxide-coated metal meshes and membranes thanks to their superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic properties. Finally, we offer future perspectives on oil water separation that are hindering the advancements of such technologies and their large-scale applications.
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17
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Zhao L, Mitchell DA, Prince RC, Walker AH, Arey JS, Nedwed TJ. Deepwater Horizon 2010: Subsea dispersants protected responders from VOC exposure. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113034. [PMID: 34710673 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Controversy remains on the use of Sub-Sea Dispersant Injection (SSDI) during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill to minimize the exposure of responders on surface vessels to volatile organic compounds (VOC). Here, we use extensive evidence (>90,000 VOC measurements) collected near the oil well MC252 site during the DWH spill and demonstrate at a high level of statistical confidence that SSDI enhanced the safety and health conditions of the responders at the water surface through the reduction of airborne VOC concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. VOC levels on ships' decks were clearly diminished (p < 0.001) during subsea dispersant use, and incidents of peak concentrations (>50 ppm VOC) that could have been an immediate concern to worker health were reduced by a factor of ~6 to 19 when dispersants were delivered at the intended rate. SSDI thus played an important role in minimizing potential exposure to VOC, and should be embedded in guidelines and regulations for dispersant use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhao
- ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Spring, TX 77389, United States of America
| | | | - Roger C Prince
- Stonybrook Apiary, Pittstown, NJ 08867, United States of America
| | - Ann Hayward Walker
- Independent Consultant, Cape Charles, VA 23310, United States of America
| | - J Samuel Arey
- Oleolytics LLC, Lebanon, NJ 08833, United States of America
| | - Tim J Nedwed
- ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Spring, TX 77389, United States of America.
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18
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Lofthus S, Bakke I, Greer CW, Brakstad OG. Biodegradation of weathered crude oil by microbial communities in solid and melted sea ice. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112823. [PMID: 34454387 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Oil spilled in the Arctic may drift into ice-covered areas and become trapped until the ice melts. To determine if exposure to oil during freezing may have a priming effect on degradation of the oil, weathered dispersed oil (2-3 mg/L) was frozen into solid ice for 200 days at -10 °C, then melted and incubated for 64 days at 4 °C. No degradation was measured in oil frozen into ice prior to melting. Both total amount of oil and target compounds were biotransformed by the microbial community from the melted ice. However, oil released from melted ice was degraded at a slower rate than oil incubated in fresh seawater at the same temperature (4 °C), and by a different microbial community. These data suggest negligible biodegradation of oil frozen in sea ice, while oil-degrading bacteria surviving in the ice may contribute to biodegradation when the ice melts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synnøve Lofthus
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Trondheim, Norway; SINTEF Ocean AS, Climate and Environment, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Ingrid Bakke
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Charles W Greer
- National Research Council Canada, Energy, Mining and Environment Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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19
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Nikolova CN, Ijaz UZ, Magill C, Kleindienst S, Joye SB, Gutierrez T. Response and oil degradation activities of a northeast Atlantic bacterial community to biogenic and synthetic surfactants. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:191. [PMID: 34548108 PMCID: PMC8456599 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01143-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biosurfactants are naturally derived products that play a similar role to synthetic dispersants in oil spill response but are easily biodegradable and less toxic. Using a combination of analytical chemistry, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and simulation-based approaches, this study investigated the microbial community dynamics, ecological drivers, functional diversity and robustness, and oil biodegradation potential of a northeast Atlantic marine microbial community to crude oil when exposed to rhamnolipid or synthetic dispersant Finasol OSR52. RESULTS Psychrophilic Colwellia and Oleispira dominated the community in both the rhamnolipid and Finasol OSR52 treatments initially but later community structure across treatments diverged significantly: Rhodobacteraceae and Vibrio dominated the Finasol-amended treatment, whereas Colwellia, Oleispira, and later Cycloclasticus and Alcanivorax, dominated the rhamnolipid-amended treatment. Key aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, like Cycloclasticus, was not observed in the Finasol treatment but it was abundant in the oil-only and rhamnolipid-amended treatments. Overall, Finasol had a significant negative impact on the community diversity, weakened the taxa-functional robustness of the community, and caused a stronger environmental filtering, more so than oil-only and rhamnolipid-amended oil treatments. Rhamnolipid-amended and oil-only treatments had the highest functional diversity, however, the overall oil biodegradation was greater in the Finasol treatment, but aromatic biodegradation was highest in the rhamnolipid treatment. CONCLUSION Overall, the natural marine microbial community in the northeast Atlantic responded differently to crude oil dispersed with either synthetic or biogenic surfactants over time, but oil degradation was more enhanced by the synthetic dispersant. Collectively, our results advance the understanding of how rhamnolipid biosurfactants and synthetic dispersant Finasol affect the natural marine microbial community in the FSC, supporting their potential application in oil spills. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina N Nikolova
- Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
| | | | - Clayton Magill
- Institute for GeoEnergy Engineering, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, The Lyell Centre, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Sara Kleindienst
- Center for Applied Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Samantha B Joye
- Department of Marine Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Tony Gutierrez
- Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK.
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20
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Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soils with Microbial and Microbial Combined Methods: Advances, Mechanisms, and Challenges. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13169267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The petroleum industry’s development has been supported by the demand for petroleum and its by-products. During extraction and transportation, however, oil will leak into the soil, destroying the structure and quality of the soil and even harming the health of plants and humans. Scientists are researching and developing remediation techniques to repair and re-control the afflicted environment due to the health risks and social implications of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. Remediation of soil contamination produced by petroleum hydrocarbons, on the other hand, is a difficult and time-consuming job. Microbial remediation is a focus for soil remediation because of its convenience of use, lack of secondary contamination, and low cost. This review lists the types and capacities of microorganisms that have been investigated to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. However, investigations have revealed that a single microbial remediation faces difficulties, such as inconsistent remediation effects and substantial environmental consequences. It is necessary to understand the composition and source of pollutants, the metabolic genes and pathways of microbial degradation of petroleum pollutants, and the internal and external aspects that influence remediation in order to select the optimal remediation treatment strategy. This review compares the degradation abilities of microbial–physical, chemical, and other combination remediation methods, and highlights the degradation capabilities and processes of the greatest microbe-biochar, microbe–nutrition, and microbe–plant technologies. This helps in evaluating and forecasting the chemical behavior of contaminants with both short- and long-term consequences. Although there are integrated remediation strategies for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbons, practical remediation remains difficult. The sources and quantities of petroleum pollutants, as well as their impacts on soil, plants, and humans, are discussed in this article. Following that, the focus shifted to the microbiological technique of degrading petroleum pollutants and the mechanism of the combined microbial method. Finally, the limitations of existing integrated microbiological techniques are highlighted.
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21
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Cai Q, Zhu Z, Chen B, Lee K, Nedwed TJ, Greer C, Zhang B. A cross-comparison of biosurfactants as marine oil spill dispersants: Governing factors, synergetic effects and fates. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 416:126122. [PMID: 34492916 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Biosurfactant-based dispersants (BBDs) may be more effective, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly than dispersants currently used for oil spill response. An improved understanding of BBD performance is needed to advance their development and commercial use. In this study, the ability of four BBDs, i.e. sufactins, trehalose lipids, rhamnolipids and exmulsins, alone and as various combinations to disperse Arabian light crude oil and weathered Alaska North Slope crude oil was compared to a widely used commercial oil dispersant (Corexit 9500A). Surfactin and trehalose lipids, which have balanced surface activity/emulsification ability, showed dispersion efficacy comparable to Corexit 9500A. Rhamnolipids (primarily a surface-active agent) and exmulsins (primarily an emulsifier) when used alone had significantly lower efficacy. However, blends of these surfactants had excellent dispersion performance because of synergistic effects. Balanced surface activity and emulsification ability may be key to formulate effective BBDs. Of the BBDs evaluated, surfactins with an effective dispersant-to-oil ratio as low as 1:62.3 and trehalose lipids with high oil affinity, biodegradation rate, and low toxicity characteristics show the most promise for commercial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinhong Cai
- The Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald-Stewart Building, McGill, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Zhiwen Zhu
- The Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Bing Chen
- The Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Ecosystem Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Timothy J Nedwed
- Exxon Upstream Research Company, 22777 Springwood Village Parkway, Spring, TX, USA
| | - Charles Greer
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald-Stewart Building, McGill, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada; Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Baiyu Zhang
- The Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
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22
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Abou Khalil C, Fortin N, Prince RC, Greer CW, Lee K, Boufadel MC. Crude oil biodegradation in upper and supratidal seashores. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 416:125919. [PMID: 34492851 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The salinity of the upper parts of seashores can become higher than seawater due to evaporation between tidal inundations. Such hypersaline ecosystems, where the salinity can reach up to eight-fold higher than that of seawater (30-35 g/L), can be contaminated by oil spills. Here we investigate whether such an increase has inhibitory effects on oil biodegradation. Seawater was evaporated to a concentrated brine and added to fresh seawater to generate high salinity microcosms. Artificially weathered Hibernia crude oil was added, and biodegradation was followed for 76 days. First-order rate constants (k) for the biodegradation of GC-detectable hydrocarbons showed that the hydrocarbonoclastic activity was substantially inhibited at high salt - k decreased by ~75% at 90 g/L salts and ~90% at 160 g/L salts. This inhibition was greatest for the alkanes, although it extended to all classes of compounds measured, with the smallest effect on four-ring aromatics (e.g., chrysenes). Genera of well-known aerobic hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria were only identified at 30 g/L salts in the presence of oil, and only a few halophilic Archaea showed a slight enrichment at higher salt concentrations. These results indicate that biodegradation of spilled oil will likely be slowed in supratidal ecosystems and suggest that occasional irrigation of oiled supratidal zones could be a useful supporting strategy to remediation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Abou Khalil
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Nathalie Fortin
- National Research Council Canada, Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4P 2R2 Canada
| | | | - Charles W Greer
- National Research Council Canada, Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4P 2R2 Canada; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ecosystem Science, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E6, Canada
| | - Michel C Boufadel
- Center for Natural Resources, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
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Biodegradation of crude oil by immobilized Exiguobacterium sp. AO-11 and shelf life evaluation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12990. [PMID: 34155247 PMCID: PMC8217171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92122-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Exiguobacterium sp. AO-11 was immobilized on bio-cord at 109 CFU g−1 carrier for the removal of crude oil from marine environments. To prepare a ready-to-use bioremediation product, the shelf life of the immobilized cells was calculated. Approximately 90% of 0.25% (v/v) crude oil removal was achieved within 9 days when the starved state of immobilized cells was used. The oil removal activity of the immobilized cells was maintained in the presence of oil dispersant (89%) and at pH values of 7–9. Meanwhile, pH, oil concentration and salinity affected the oil removal efficacy. The immobilized cells could be reused for at least 5 cycles. The Arrhenius equation describing the relationship between the rate of reaction and temperature was validated as a useful model of the kinetics of retention of activity by an immobilized biocatalyst. It was estimated that the immobilized cells could be stored in a non-vacuum bag containing phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) at 30 °C for 39 days to retain the cells at 107 CFU g−1 carrier and more than 50% degradation activity. These results indicated the potential of using bio-cord-immobilized crude oil-degrading Exiguobacterium sp. AO-11 as a bioremediation product in a marine environment.
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Thomas GE, Brant JL, Campo P, Clark DR, Coulon F, Gregson BH, McGenity TJ, McKew BA. Effects of Dispersants and Biosurfactants on Crude-Oil Biodegradation and Bacterial Community Succession. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061200. [PMID: 34206054 PMCID: PMC8229435 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of three commercial dispersants (Finasol OSR 52, Slickgone NS, Superdispersant 25) and three biosurfactants (rhamnolipid, trehalolipid, sophorolipid) in crude-oil seawater microcosms. We analysed the crucial early bacterial response (1 and 3 days). In contrast, most analyses miss this key period and instead focus on later time points after oil and dispersant addition. By focusing on the early stage, we show that dispersants and biosurfactants, which reduce the interfacial surface tension of oil and water, significantly increase the abundance of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, and the rate of hydrocarbon biodegradation, within 24 h. A succession of obligate hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (OHCB), driven by metabolite niche partitioning, is demonstrated. Importantly, this succession has revealed how the OHCB Oleispira, hitherto considered to be a psychrophile, can dominate in the early stages of oil-spill response (1 and 3 days), outcompeting all other OHCB, at the relatively high temperature of 16 °C. Additionally, we demonstrate how some dispersants or biosurfactants can select for specific bacterial genera, especially the biosurfactant rhamnolipid, which appears to provide an advantageous compatibility with Pseudomonas, a genus in which some species synthesize rhamnolipid in the presence of hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth E. Thomas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK; (D.R.C.); (B.H.G.); (T.J.M.); (B.A.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-1206-873333 (ext. 2918)
| | - Jan L. Brant
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK;
| | - Pablo Campo
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK; (P.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Dave R. Clark
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK; (D.R.C.); (B.H.G.); (T.J.M.); (B.A.M.)
- Institute for Analytics and Data Science, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Frederic Coulon
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK; (P.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Benjamin H. Gregson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK; (D.R.C.); (B.H.G.); (T.J.M.); (B.A.M.)
| | - Terry J. McGenity
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK; (D.R.C.); (B.H.G.); (T.J.M.); (B.A.M.)
| | - Boyd A. McKew
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK; (D.R.C.); (B.H.G.); (T.J.M.); (B.A.M.)
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Remote Sensing of Dispersed Oil Pollution in the Ocean-The Role of Chlorophyll Concentration. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21103387. [PMID: 34067967 PMCID: PMC8152263 DOI: 10.3390/s21103387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the contrary to surface oil slicks, dispersed oil pollution is not yet detected or monitored on regular basis. The possible range of changes of the local optical properties of seawater caused by the occurrence of dispersed oil, as well as the dependencies of changes on various physical and environmental factors, can be estimated using simulation techniques. Two models were combined to examine the influence of oceanic water type on the visibility of dispersed oil: the Monte Carlo radiative transfer model and the Lorenz-Mie model for spherical oil droplets suspended in seawater. Remote sensing reflectance, Rrs, was compared for natural ocean water models representing oligotrophic, mesotrophic and eutrophic environments (characterized by chlorophyll-a concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/m3, respectively) and polluted by three different kinds of oils: biodiesel, lubricant oil and crude oil. We found out that dispersed oil usually increases Rrs values for all types of seawater, with the highest effect for the oligotrophic ocean. In the clearest studied waters, the absolute values of Rrs increased 2-6 times after simulated dispersed oil pollution, while Rrs band ratios routinely applied in bio-optical models decreased up to 80%. The color index, CI, was nearly double reduced by dispersed biodiesel BD and lubricant oil CL, but more than doubled by crude oil FL.
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The Interactive Effects of Crude Oil and Corexit 9500 on Their Biodegradation in Arctic Seawater. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.01194-20. [PMID: 32826215 PMCID: PMC7580538 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01194-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical dispersants such as Corexit 9500 are commonly used in oil spill response and are currently under consideration for use in the Arctic, where their fate and effects have not been well studied. This research was performed to determine the interactive effects of the copresence of crude oil and Corexit 9500 on the degradation of components from each mixture and the associated microbial community structure over time in Arctic seawater. These findings will help yield a better understanding of the biodegradability of dispersant components applied to an oil spill, the temporal microbial community response to dispersed oil, and the fundamental microbial ecology of organic contaminant biodegradation processes in the Arctic marine environment. The risk of petroleum spills coupled with the potential application of chemical dispersants as a spill response strategy necessitates further understanding of the fate of oil and dispersants and their interactive effects during biodegradation. Using Arctic seawater mesocosms amended with either crude oil, Corexit 9500, or both together, we quantified the chemical losses of crude oil and Corexit 9500 and identified microbial taxa implicated in their biodegradation based on shifts in the microbial community structure over a 30-day time course. Chemical analyses included total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), n-alkanes, branched alkanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for oil loss and the surfactant components dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), Span 80, Tween 80, Tween 85, and the DOSS metabolite ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate (EHSS) for Corexit loss. Changes to the microbial communities and identification of key taxa were determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The nonionic surfactants of Corexit 9500 (Span 80 and Tweens 80 and 85) biodegraded rapidly, dropping to below the limits of detection within 5 days and prior to any detectable initiation of oil biodegradation. This resulted in no observable suppression of petroleum biodegradation in the presence of Corexit compared to that of oil alone. In contrast, biodegradation of DOSS was delayed in the presence of oil, based on the prolonged presence of DOSS and accumulation of the degradation intermediate EHSS that did not occur in the absence of oil. Microbial analyses revealed that oil and Corexit enriched different overall microbial communities, with the presence of both resulting in a community composition that shifted from one more similar to that of Corexit only to one reflecting the oil-only community over time, in parallel with the degradation of predominantly Corexit and then oil components. Some microbial taxa (Oleispira, Pseudofulvibacter, and Roseobacter) responded to either oil or Corexit, suggesting that some organisms may be capable of utilizing both substrates. Together, these findings reveal interactive effects of crude oil and Corexit 9500 on chemical losses and microbial communities as they biodegrade, providing further insight into their fate when copresent in the environment. IMPORTANCE Chemical dispersants such as Corexit 9500 are commonly used in oil spill response and are currently under consideration for use in the Arctic, where their fate and effects have not been well studied. This research was performed to determine the interactive effects of the copresence of crude oil and Corexit 9500 on the degradation of components from each mixture and the associated microbial community structure over time in Arctic seawater. These findings will help yield a better understanding of the biodegradability of dispersant components applied to an oil spill, the temporal microbial community response to dispersed oil, and the fundamental microbial ecology of organic contaminant biodegradation processes in the Arctic marine environment.
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Henry IA, Netzer R, Davies EJ, Brakstad OG. Formation and fate of oil-related aggregates (ORAs) in seawater at different temperatures. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 159:111483. [PMID: 32892918 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the formation and fate of oil-related aggregates (ORAs) from chemically dispersed oil in seawater (SW) were investigated at different temperatures (5 °C, 13 °C, 20 °C). Experiments in natural SW alone, and in SW amended with typical marine snow constituents (phytoplankton and mineral particles), showed that the presence of algae stimulated the formation of large ORAs, while high SW temperature resulted in faster aggregate formation. The ORAs formed at 5 °C and 13 °C required mineral particles for sinking, while the aggregates also sank in the absence of mineral particles at 20°. Early in the experimental periods, oil compound accumulation in ORAs was faster than biodegradation, particularly in aggregates with algae, followed by rapid biodegradation. High abundances of bacteria associated with hydrocarbon biodegradation were determined in the ORAs, together with algae-associated bacteria, while clustering analyses showed separation between bacterial communities in experiments with oil alone and oil with algae/mineral particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid A Henry
- SINTEF Ocean AS, Environment and New Resources, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Roman Netzer
- SINTEF Ocean AS, Environment and New Resources, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emlyn J Davies
- SINTEF Ocean AS, Environment and New Resources, Trondheim, Norway
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Brown DM, Camenzuli L, Redman AD, Hughes C, Wang N, Vaiopoulou E, Saunders D, Villalobos A, Linington S. Is the Arrhenius-correction of biodegradation rates, as recommended through REACH guidance, fit for environmentally relevant conditions? An example from petroleum biodegradation in environmental systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 732:139293. [PMID: 32438147 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation is a major determinant of chemical persistence in the environment and an important consideration for PBT and environmental risk assessments. It is influenced by several environmental factors including temperature and microbial community structure. According to REACH guidance, a temperature correction based on the Arrhenius equation is recommended for chemical persistence data not performed at the recommended EU mean surface water temperature. Such corrections, however, can lead to overly conservative P/vP assessments. In this paper, the relevance of this temperature correction is assessed for petroleum hydrocarbons, using measured surface water (marine and freshwater) degradation half-time (DT50) and degradation half-life (HL) data compiled from relevant literature. Stringent screening criteria were used to specifically select data from biodegradation tests containing indigenous microbes and conducted at temperatures close to their ambient sampling temperature. As a result, ten independent studies were identified, with 993 data points covering 326 hydrocarbon constituents. These data were derived from tests conducted with natural seawater, or freshwater, at temperatures ranging from 5 to 21 °C. Regressions were performed on the full hydrocarbon dataset and on several individual hydrocarbons. The results were compared to the trend as predicted by the Arrhenius equation and using the activation energy (Ea) as recommend in the REACH Guidance. The comparison shows that the correction recommended in REACH Guidance over predicts the effect of temperature on hydrocarbon biodegradation. These results contrast with temperature manipulated inocula where the test temperature is different from the ambient sampling temperature. In these manipulated systems, the effect of temperature follows the Arrhenius equation more closely. In addition, a more striking effect of temperature on the lag phase was observed with longer lag phases more apparent at lower temperatures. This indicates that the effect of temperature may indeed be even lower when considering hydrocarbon biodegradation without the initial lag phase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louise Camenzuli
- ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical, Machelen, Belgium; Concawe, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Aaron D Redman
- ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical, Machelen, Belgium; Concawe, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Neil Wang
- Total, Paris, France; Concawe, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - David Saunders
- Concawe, Brussels, Belgium; Shell International, The Hague, Netherlands
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29
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Niche Partitioning between Coastal and Offshore Shelf Waters Results in Differential Expression of Alkane and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Catabolic Pathways. mSystems 2020; 5:5/4/e00668-20. [PMID: 32843540 PMCID: PMC7449609 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00668-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the taxonomic response of marine microbial communities to oil and dispersants has been extensively studied. However, relatively few studies on the functional response of these microbial communities have been reported, especially in a longitudinal fashion. Moreover, despite the fact that marine oil spills typically impact thousands of square kilometers of both coastal and offshore marine environments, little information is available on how the microbial response to oil and dispersants might differ between these biomes. The results of this study help fill this critical knowledge gap and provide valuable insight into how oil spill response efforts, such as chemically dispersing oil, may have differing effects in neighboring coastal and offshore marine environments. Marine oil spills can impact both coastal and offshore marine environments, but little information is available on how the microbial response to oil and dispersants might differ between these biomes. Here, we describe the compositional and functional response of microbial communities to different concentrations of oil and chemically dispersed oil in coastal and offshore surface waters from the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf. Using a combination of analytical chemistry and 16S rRNA amplicon and metatranscriptomic sequencing, we provide a broad, comparative overview of the ecological response of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and their expression of hydrocarbon-degrading genes in marine surface waters over time between two oceanic biomes. We found evidence for the existence of different ecotypes of several commonly described hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial taxa which behaved differentially in coastal and offshore shelf waters despite being exposed to similar concentrations of oil, dispersants, and nutrients. This resulted in the differential expression of catabolic pathways for n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—the two major categories of compounds found in crude oil—with preferential expression of n-alkane degradation genes in coastal waters while offshore microbial communities trended more toward the expression of PAH degradation genes. This was unexpected as it contrasts with the generally held view that n-alkanes, being more labile, are attacked before the more refractory PAHs. Collectively, our results provide new insights into the existence and potential consequences of niche partitioning of hydrocarbon-degrading taxa between neighboring marine environments. IMPORTANCE In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the taxonomic response of marine microbial communities to oil and dispersants has been extensively studied. However, relatively few studies on the functional response of these microbial communities have been reported, especially in a longitudinal fashion. Moreover, despite the fact that marine oil spills typically impact thousands of square kilometers of both coastal and offshore marine environments, little information is available on how the microbial response to oil and dispersants might differ between these biomes. The results of this study help fill this critical knowledge gap and provide valuable insight into how oil spill response efforts, such as chemically dispersing oil, may have differing effects in neighboring coastal and offshore marine environments.
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Sun X, Chu L, Mercando E, Romero I, Hollander D, Kostka JE. Dispersant Enhances Hydrocarbon Degradation and Alters the Structure of Metabolically Active Microbial Communities in Shallow Seawater From the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2387. [PMID: 31749769 PMCID: PMC6842959 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Dispersant application is a primary emergency oil spill response strategy and yet the efficacy and unintended consequences of this approach in marine ecosystems remain controversial. To address these uncertainties, ex situ incubations were conducted to quantify the impact of dispersant on petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) biodegradation rates and microbial community structure at as close as realistically possible to approximated in situ conditions [2 ppm v/v oil with or without dispersant, at a dispersant to oil ratio (DOR) of 1:15] in surface seawater. Biodegradation rates were not substantially affected by dispersant application at low mixing conditions, while under completely dispersed conditions, biodegradation was substantially enhanced, decreasing the overall half-life of total PHC compounds from 15.4 to 8.8 days. While microbial respiration and growth were not substantially altered by dispersant treatment, RNA analysis revealed that dispersant application resulted in pronounced changes to the composition of metabolically active microbial communities, and the abundance of nitrogen-fixing prokaryotes, as determined by qPCR of nitrogenase (nifH) genes, showed a large increase. While the Gammaproteobacteria were enriched in all treatments, the Betaproteobacteria and different families of Alphaproteobacteria predominated in the oil and dispersant treatment, respectively. Results show that mixing conditions regulate the efficacy of dispersant application in an oil slick, and the quantitative increase in the nitrogen-fixing microbial community indicates a selection pressure for nitrogen fixation in response to a readily biodegradable, nitrogen-poor substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Sun
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lena Chu
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Elisa Mercando
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Isabel Romero
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - David Hollander
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - Joel E Kostka
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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31
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Mearns AJ, Bissell M, Morrison AM, Rempel-Hester MA, Arthur C, Rutherford N. Effects of pollution on marine organisms. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2019; 91:1229-1252. [PMID: 31513312 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This review covers selected 2018 articles on the biological effects of pollutants, including human physical disturbances, on marine and estuarine plants, animals, ecosystems, and habitats. The review, based largely on journal articles, covers field and laboratory measurement activities (bioaccumulation of contaminants, field assessment surveys, toxicity testing, and biomarkers) as well as pollution issues of current interest including endocrine disrupters, emerging contaminants, wastewater discharges, marine debris, dredging, and disposal. Special emphasis is placed on effects of oil spills and marine debris due largely to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and proliferation of data on the assimilation and effects of marine debris. Several topical areas reviewed in the past (e.g., mass mortalities ocean acidification) were dropped this year. The focus of this review is on effects, not on pollutant sources, chemistry, fate, or transport. There is considerable overlap across subject areas (e.g., some bioaccumulation data may be appear in other topical categories such as effects of wastewater discharges, or biomarker studies appearing in oil toxicity literature). Therefore, we strongly urge readers to use keyword searching of the text and references to locate related but distributed information. Although nearly 400 papers are cited, these now represent a fraction of the literature on these subjects. Use this review mainly as a starting point. And please consult the original papers before citing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Mearns
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
| | - Mathew Bissell
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | | | - Nicolle Rutherford
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
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32
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Hydrocarbon-Degrading Microbial Communities Are Site Specific, and Their Activity Is Limited by Synergies in Temperature and Nutrient Availability in Surface Ocean Waters. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00443-19. [PMID: 31126938 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00443-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to quantify the potential for hydrocarbon biodegradation in surface waters of three sites, representing geographic regions of major oil exploration (Beaufort Sea in the Arctic, northern Gulf of Mexico [GOM], and southern GOM), in a systematic experimental design that incorporated gradients in temperature and the availability of major nutrients. Surface seawater was amended in microcosms with Macondo surrogate oil to simulate an oil slick, and microcosms were incubated, with or without nutrient amendment, at temperatures ranging from 4 to 38ºC. Using respiration rate as a proxy, distinct temperature responses were observed in surface seawater microcosms based on geographic origin; biodegradation was nearly always more rapid in the Arctic site samples than in the GOM samples. Nutrient amendment enhanced respiration rates by a factor of approximately 6, stimulated microbial growth, and generally elevated the taxonomic diversity of microbial communities within the optimal temperature range for activity at each site, while diversity remained the same or was lower at temperatures deviating from optimal conditions. Taken together, our results advance the understanding of how bacterioplankton communities from different geographic regions respond to oil perturbation. A pulsed disturbance of oil is proposed to favor copiotrophic r-strategists that are adapted to pointed seasonal inputs of phytoplankton carbon, displaying carbon and nutrient limitations, rather than oil exposure history. Further understanding of the ecological mechanisms underpinning the complex environmental controls of hydrocarbon degradation is required for improvement of predictive models of the fate and transport of spilled oil in marine environments.IMPORTANCE The risk of an oil spill accident in pristine regions of the world's oceans is increasing due to the development and transport of crude oil resources, especially in the Arctic region, as a result of the opening of ice-free transportation routes, and there is currently no consensus regarding the complex interplay among the environmental controls of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation for predictive modeling. We examined the hydrocarbon biodegradation potential of bacterioplankton from three representative geographic regions of oil exploration. Our results showed that rates of aerobic respiration coupled to hydrocarbon degradation in surface ocean waters are controlled to a large extent by effects of temperature and nutrient limitation; hydrocarbon exposure history did not appear to have a major impact. Further, the relationship between temperature and biodegradation rates is linked to microbial community structure, which is specific to the geographic origin.
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Tremblay J, Fortin N, Elias M, Wasserscheid J, King TL, Lee K, Greer CW. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic responses of natural oil degrading bacteria in the presence of dispersants. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:2307-2319. [PMID: 30927379 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Oil biodegradation has been extensively studied in the wake of the deepwater horizon spill, but the application of dispersant to oil spills in marine environments remains controversial. Here, we report metagenomic (MG) and metatranscriptomic (MT) data mining from microcosm experiments investigating the oil degrading potential of Canadian west and east coasts to estimate the gene abundance and activity of oil degrading bacteria in the presence of dispersant. We found that the addition of dispersant to crude oil mainly favours the abundance of Thalassolituus in the summer and Oleispira in the winter, two key natural oil degrading bacteria. We found a high abundance of genes related not only to n-alkane and aromatics degradation but also associated with transporters, two-component systems, bacterial motility, secretion systems and bacterial chemotaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Tremblay
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4P2R2, Canada
| | - Nathalie Fortin
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4P2R2, Canada
| | - Miria Elias
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4P2R2, Canada
| | - Jessica Wasserscheid
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4P2R2, Canada
| | - Thomas L King
- Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research (COOGER), Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y4A2, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lee
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, PO Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y4A2, Canada
| | - Charles W Greer
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4P2R2, Canada
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Urakawa H, Rajan S, Feeney ME, Sobecky PA, Mortazavi B. Ecological response of nitrification to oil spills and its impact on the nitrogen cycle. Environ Microbiol 2018; 21:18-33. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Urakawa
- Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers FL, 33965 USA
| | - Suja Rajan
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL, 35487 USA
| | - Megan E. Feeney
- Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers FL, 33965 USA
| | - Patricia A. Sobecky
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL, 35487 USA
| | - Behzad Mortazavi
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL, 35487 USA
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab Dauphin Island AL, 36528 USA
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35
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Netzer R, Henry IA, Ribicic D, Wibberg D, Brönner U, Brakstad OG. Petroleum hydrocarbon and microbial community structure successions in marine oil-related aggregates associated with diatoms relevant for Arctic conditions. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 135:759-768. [PMID: 30301095 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.07.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Oil-related aggregates (ORAs) may contribute to the fate of oil spilled offshore. However, our understanding about the impact of diatoms and associated bacteria involved in the formation of ORAs and the fate of oil compounds in these aggregates is still limited. We investigated these processes in microcosm experiments with defined oil dispersions in seawater at 5 °C, employing the Arctic diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus and its associated bacterial assemblage to promote ORA formation. Accumulation of oil compounds, as well as biodegradation of naphthalenes in ORAs and corresponding water phases, was enhanced in the presence of diatoms. Interestingly, the genus Nonlabens was predominating the bacterial communities in diatom-supplemented microcosms, while this genus was not abundant in other samples. This work elucidates the relevance of diatom biomass for the formation of ORAs, microbial community structures and biodegradation processes in chemically dispersed oil at low temperatures relevant for Arctic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Netzer
- SINTEF Ocean, Brattørkaia 17C, 7010 Trondheim, Norway.
| | | | - Deni Ribicic
- SINTEF Ocean, Brattørkaia 17C, 7010 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ute Brönner
- SINTEF Ocean, Brattørkaia 17C, 7010 Trondheim, Norway
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36
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Brakstad OG, Davies EJ, Ribicic D, Winkler A, Brönner U, Netzer R. Biodegradation of dispersed oil in natural seawaters from Western Greenland and a Norwegian fjord. Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2380-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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37
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Lewis A, Prince RC. Integrating Dispersants in Oil Spill Response in Arctic and Other Icy Environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:6098-6112. [PMID: 29709187 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Future oil exploration and marine navigation may well extend into the Arctic Ocean, and government agencies and responders need to plan for accidental oil spills. We argue that dispersants should play an important role in these plans, since they have substantial logistical benefits, work effectively under Arctic conditions, and stimulate the rapid biodegradation of spilled oil. They also minimize the risk of surface slicks to birds and mammals, the stranding of oil on fragile shorelines and minimize the need for large work crews to be exposed to Arctic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger C Prince
- Stonybrook Apiary, Pittstown , New Jersey 08867 , United States
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