Bioremediation of Oil Spills

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Bioremediation of Oil Spills

• William Smith
• MB 433

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Questions

• What are two common methods used in
  bioremediation of oil spills?
• What are two methods of monitoring the process in
  cleanup sites?

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Overview

• Introduction to Bioremediation
• Methods of Bioremediation
• Metabolic Pathways
• Study on fertilizer application in Delaware Bay
• Biosurfactants
• Progress Monitoring
• Oil Chemistry
• Genetic Analysis
• Enzyme Assays
• Biomonitors

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What is Bioremediation?

• Microbes degrading toxic substances
• Two categories
• Biostimulation
• Bioaugmentation
• Factors for success

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Feasibility of Bioremediation

• Depends on Environment
• Open Water
• Marine
• Freshwater
• Soil

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Metabolic Pathways

• Numerous and varied
• Four components to oil
• Saturated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons,
  resins, and asphaltenes
• Pathways for asphaltenes are not understood,
  resins are only biodegradable in small amounts

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Oxidation of Benzene to catechol
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Ortho-cleavage pathway for catabolism of catechol
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Study in Delaware Bay

• Tested effectiveness of bioremediation on a sandy
  beach

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Biosurfactants

• Emulsify oil into small droplets
• Increases surface area

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Oil Chemistry

• Monitor hopane levels
• Nonbiodegradable component
• Compare relative amounts to correct for oil lost
  to physical means

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Genetic Analysis

• Microbial community dynamics
• 16s rRNA
• Identifies community members
• Italian study
• Showed shift in population to Alcanivorax sp.
• May lead to improved biostimulation

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Enzyme Assays

• Describe activity of population
• Fluorescent substrates
• Intracellular dehydrogenase assay
• Measures overall respiratory metabolism

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Biomonitors

• Amphibians, helminths, and mollusks
• Indicate overall state of the ecosystem

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Questions?
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References

• 1.Head, I., Jones, D., Roling, W., 2006. Marine
  microorganisms make a meal of oil. Nature Reviews
  Microbiology. 4, 173-182.
• 2. Hoss, S., Traunspurger, W., 2003. Nematodes.
  Bioindicators and Biomonitors principles,
  concepts, and applications.
• 3. Lee, L., Stassen, J., McDonald, A., Culshaw,
  C., Venosa, A., Lee, K., 2002. Snails as
  Biomonitors of Oil-Spill and Bioremediation
  Strategies. Bioremediation Journal. 6(4),
  373-386.
• 4. Cappello, S., Caruso, G, Zampino, D.,
  Monticelli, L., Maimone, G., Denaro, R., Tripodo,
  B., Troussellier, M., Yakimov, M., Giuliano, L.
  2006. Microbial community dynamics during assays
  of harbour oil spill bioremediation a microscale
  simulation study. Journal of Applied
  Microbiology. 102, 184-194.
• 5. Cappello, S., Denaro, R., Genovese, M.,
  Giuliano, L., Yakimov, M., 2007. Predominant
  growth of Alcanivorax during experiments on oil
  spill bioremediation in mesocosms.
  Microbiological Research. 162, 185-190.
• 6. Saeki, H., Sasaki, M., Komatsu, K., Miura, A.,
  Matsuda, H., 2009. Oil spill remediation by using
  the remediation agent JE1058BS that contains a
  biosurfactant produced by Gordonia sp. Strain
  JE-1058. Bioresource Technology. 100, 572-577.
• 7. Venosa, D., 2000. The RRT 6 Position Paper on
  Bioremediation. Bioremediation in Oil Spill
  Response. 1-3.
• 8. Venosa, D., Suidan, M., Wrenn, B., Strohmeier,
  K., Haines, J., Eberhart, B., King, D., Holder,
  E., 1996. Bioremediation of an Experimental Oil
  Spill on the Shoreline of Delaware Bay. Environ.
  Sci. Technol. 30(5), 1764-1775.
• 9. Venosa, D., Zhu, X., 2003. Biodegradation of
  Crude Oil Contaminants of Marine Shorelines and
  Freshwater Wetlands. Spill Science Technology
  Bulletin. 8(2), 163-178.
• 10. Wei, Q., Mather, R., Fotheringham, A., 2004.
  Oil removal from used sorbents using a
  biosurfactant. Bioresource Technology. 96,
  331-334.
• 11. Wrenn, B., 1998. Biodegradation of Aromatic
  Hydrocarbons.www.ence.umd.edu.
• 12. Xu, R., Lau, N., Ng, K., Obbard, J., 2004.
  Application of a Slow-release Fertilizer for Oil
  Bioremediation in Beach Sediment. J. Environ
  Qual. 33, 1210-1216.