Chemical dispersants: Oil biodegradation friend or foe?

Autor: Rahsepar S; Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: shokouh.rahsepar@wur.nl., Smit MP; Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands., Murk AJ; Marine Animal Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands., Rijnaarts HH; Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands., Langenhoff AA; Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Marine pollution bulletin [Mar Pollut Bull] 2016 Jul 15; Vol. 108 (1-2), pp. 113-9. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 May 04.
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.04.044
Abstrakt: Chemical dispersants were used in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, both at the sea surface and the wellhead. Their effect on oil biodegradation is unclear, as studies showed both inhibition and enhancement. This study addresses the effect of Corexit on oil biodegradation by alkane and/or aromatic degrading bacterial culture in artificial seawater at different dispersant to oil ratios (DORs). Our results show that dispersant addition did not enhance oil biodegradation. At DOR 1:20, biodegradation was inhibited, especially when only the alkane degrading culture was present. With a combination of cultures, this inhibition was overcome after 10days. This indicates that initial inhibition of oil biodegradation can be overcome when different bacteria are present in the environment. We conclude that the observed inhibition is related to the enhanced dissolution of aromatic compounds into the water, inhibiting the alkane degrading bacteria.
(Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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