The application of a carrier-based bioremediation strategy for marine oil spills

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 84; no. 1-2; pp. 339 - 346
• Main Authors: Sheppard, Petra J., Simons, Keryn L., Adetutu, Eric M., Kadali, Krishna K., Juhasz, Albert L., Manefield, Mike, Sarma, Priyangshu M, Lal, Banwari, Ball, Andrew S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Artemia; Assaying; Bacteria; Biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; Biotechnology; Carrier material; Carriers; Communities; Crude oil; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - metabolism; Decapoda; DGGE; Ecotoxicity; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrocarbon; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Petroleum - analysis; Petroleum - metabolism; Petroleum Pollution; Phaeodactylum tricornutum; Proteobacteria; Proteobacteria - metabolism; Remediation; Sea water ecosystems; Seawater - microbiology; Strategy; Synecology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Biodegradation; Hydrocarbon; Carrier material; Ecotoxicity; DGGE; Oil spill; Ecotoxicology; Toxicity; Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; Marine environment; Strategy; Bioremediation; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.044

•Carrier mounted bacterial consortium assessed in 5000l pilot scale study.•53% Reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbon mass within 27 weeks.•Microbial community dominated by Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria.•Carrier mounted bacterial consortium shown to be nontoxic to indigenous seawater community. The application of recycled marine materials to develop sustainable remediation technologies in marine environment was assessed. The remediation strategy consisted of a shell carrier mounted bacterial consortium composed of hydrocarbonoclastic strains enriched with nutrients (Bioaug SC). Pilot scale studies (5000l) were used to examine the ability of Bioaug-SC to degrade weathered crude oil (10gl−1; initially 315,000±44,000mgl−1) and assess the impacts of the introduction and biodegradation of oil. Total petroleum hydrocarbon mass was effectively reduced by 53.3 (±5.75)% to 147,000 (±21,000) mgl−1 within 27weeks. 16S rDNA bacterial community profiling using Denaturant Gradient Gel Electrophoresis revealed that cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria dominated the microbial community. Aquatic toxicity assessment was conducted by ecotoxicity assays using brine shrimp hatchability, Microtox and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. This study revealed the importance of combining ecotoxicity assays with oil chemistry analysis to ensure safe remediation methods are developed.