scholarly journals Distinct microbial communities along the chronic oil pollution continuum of the Persian Gulf converge with oil spill accidents

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Rezaei Somee ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Dastgheib ◽  
Mahmoud Shavandi ◽  
Leila Ghanbari Maman ◽  
Kaveh Kavousi ◽  
...  

SummaryPersian Gulf hosting ca. 48% of the world’s oil reserves; has been chronically exposed to natural oil seepage. Oil spill events have been studied over the last decade; however, the influence of chronic oil exposure on the microbial community of the Persian Gulf has remained unknown. We performed genome-resolved comparative analyses of the water and sediment’s prokaryotic community along the Gulf’s pollution continuum (Strait of Hormuz, Asalouyeh and Khark Island). The continuous exposure to trace amounts of pollution has shifted the microbial profile toward the dominance of Oceanospirillales, Flavobacteriales, Alteromonadales, and Rhodobacterales in Asalouyeh and Khark samples. Intrinsic oil-degrading microbes present in low abundances in marine habitats; experience a bloom in response to oil pollution. Comparative analysis of the Persian Gulf samples with 106 oil-polluted marine samples reveals the pollutant’s hydrocarbon content, exposure time and sediment depth as main determinants of microbial response to pollution. High aliphatic content enriches for Oceanospirillales, Alteromonadales and Pseudomonadales whereas, Alteromonadales, Cellvibrionales, Flavobacteriales and Rhodobacterales dominate polyaromatic polluted samples. In sediment samples, Deltaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria had the highest abundance. In chronic exposure and oil spill events, the community composition converges towards higher dominance of oil-degrading constituents while promoting the division of labor for successful bioremediation.Originality-Significance StatementThe impact of anthropogenic oil pollution on the microbial community has been studied for oil spill events; while the influence of long-term chronic exposure to oil derivatives on The microbes has remained unknown. Persian Gulf hosts ca. 48% of the world’s oil reserves and has been chronically exposed to natural and accidental oil pollutions. Different pollutant profilesin different locations and the recurrent pollution events; make Persian Gulf an ideal model system to analyse the impact of oil hydrocarbon on the microbial community and the recovery potential of marine ecosystems after pollution. In this study we perform an extensive analysis of thhe Persian Gulf’s water and sediment samples along the water circulation and pollution continuum for the first time. Our results show that these long-standing trace exposure to oil has imposed a consistent selection pressure on the Gulf’s microbes; developing unique and distinct communities along the pollution continuum. Our extensive genome-resolved analysis of the metabolic capabilities of the reconstructed MAGs shows an intricate division of labor among different microbes for oil degradation and determine the major drivers of each degradation step. Intrinsic oil-degrading microbes (e.g., Immundisolibacter, Roseovarius and Lutimaribacter) bloom along the Persian Gulf’s pollution continuum and function as the main oil degraders. Comparative study of PG datasets with 106 oil-polluted marine samples (water and sediment) reveals similar community compositions in the Persian Gulf’s water and sediment samples to those of oil spill events and suggests hydrocarbon type and exposure time as the main determinants of the microbial response to oil pollution.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Rezaei Somee ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Dastgheib ◽  
Mahmoud Shavandi ◽  
Leila Ghanbari Maman ◽  
Kaveh Kavousi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe Persian Gulf, hosting ca. 48% of the world’s oil reserves, has been chronically exposed to natural oil seepage. Oil spill studies show a shift in microbial community composition in response to oil pollution; however, the influence of chronic oil exposure on the microbial community remains unknown. We performed genome-resolved comparative analyses of the water and sediment samples along Persian Gulf’s pollution continuum (Strait of Hormuz, Asalouyeh, and Khark Island). Continuous exposure to trace amounts of pollution primed the intrinsic and rare marine oil-degrading microbes such as Oceanospirillales, Flavobacteriales, Alteromonadales, and Rhodobacterales to bloom in response to oil pollution in Asalouyeh and Khark samples. Comparative analysis of the Persian Gulf samples with 106 oil-polluted marine samples reveals that the hydrocarbon type, exposure time, and sediment depth are the main determinants of microbial response to pollution. High aliphatic content of the pollution enriched for Oceanospirillales, Alteromonadales, and Pseudomonadales whereas, Alteromonadales, Cellvibrionales, Flavobacteriales, and Rhodobacterales dominate polyaromatic polluted samples. In chronic exposure and oil spill events, the community composition converges towards higher dominance of oil-degrading constituents while promoting the division of labor for successful bioremediation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smaeyl Hassanzadeh ◽  
Omid Hajrasouliha ◽  
Ali Rezaei Latifi ◽  
Ahmad Nohegar

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maozhen Han ◽  
Melissa Dsouza ◽  
Chunyu Zhou ◽  
Hongjun Li ◽  
Junqian Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundAgricultural activities, such as stock-farming, planting industry, and fish aquaculture, can influence the physicochemistry and biology of freshwater lakes. However, the extent to which these agricultural activities, especially those that result in eutrophication and antibiotic pollution, effect water and sediment-associated microbial ecology, remains unclear.MethodsWe performed a geospatial analysis of water and sediment associated microbial community structure, as well as physicochemical parameters and antibiotic pollution, across 18 sites in Honghu lake, which range from impacted to less-impacted by agricultural pollution. Furthermore, the co-occurrence network of water and sediment were built and compared accorded to the agricultural activities.ResultsPhysicochemical properties including TN, TP, NO3--N, and NO2--N were correlated with microbial compositional differences in water samples. Likewise, in sediment samples, Sed-OM and Sed-TN correlated with microbial diversity. Oxytetracycline and tetracycline concentration described the majority of the variance in taxonomic and predicted functional diversity between impacted and less-impacted sites in water and sediment samples, respectively. Finally, the structure of microbial co-associations was influenced by the eutrophication and antibiotic pollution.ConclusionThese analyses of the composition and structure of water and sediment microbial communities in anthropologically-impacted lakes are imperative for effective environmental pollution monitoring. Likewise, the exploration of the associations between environmental variables (e.g. physicochemical properties, and antibiotics) and community structure is important in the assessment of lake water quality and its ability to sustain agriculture. These results show agricultural practices can negatively influence not only the physicochemical properties, but also the biodiversity of microbial communities associated with the Honghu lake ecosystem. And these results provide compelling evidence that the microbial community can be used as a sentinel of eutrophication and antibiotics pollution risk associated with agricultural activity; and that proper monitoring of this environment is vital to maintain a sustainable environment in Honghu lake.


2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
pp. 1093-1095
Author(s):  
Bernie Bennett ◽  
Yvette Osikilo

ABSTRACT The International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) Oil Spill Working Group (OSWG) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Its mission has been, through education, training and awareness initiatives, to enhance the state of preparedness and response to marine oil spill incidents in priority coastal locations around the world. Its programme is carried out in close cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and operates within the context of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC), 1990. The OSWG is made up of oil spill managers and specialists from IPIECA member companies and associations, supported by invited representatives from other organisations in the oil spill response community. It aims to ensure that the full range of industry interests is adequately reflected in its work programme. Coordination between these industry-based organisations and the IMO remains an essential ingredient in the success of the OSWG programme This paper reviews the main activities and achievements of the IPIECA OSWG over the last 20 years and attempt to illustrate and measure the impact of its work on global oil spill preparedness. We then hypothesize as to how the work of the IPIECA OSWG might develop over the next 20 years, which could serve as future strategic/planning guidance.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 (1) ◽  
pp. 655-658
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Sheehan

ABSTRACT The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) was forged in the legislative cauldron of the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez casualty. However, its genesis really began with Congressional consideration and debate concerning whether to adopt an international liability and compensation regime or improve the unilateral system unique to the United States. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 significantly expanded the scope of the unique U.S. mechanism, while at the same time it urged the Administration to continue to examine the possibilities of becoming party to an international regime. Ten years after the Exxon Valdez casualty provides a convenient and appropriate time frame for reflection on how well the public has been served by the establishment and implementation of the regime of which the OSLTF is a major element. The impact on various publics served and stakeholders impacted will be analyzed and evaluated. While there are clearly differences in scope, application, and funding mechanisms between the U.S. and international regime, there are substantial similarities in terms of process, administration, areas of concern and interest.


1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1497-1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Hyams ◽  
K. Hanson ◽  
F. Stephen Wignall ◽  
J. Escamilla ◽  
E. C. Oldfield

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