MICROBIAL RESPONSES AFTER TWO EXPERIMENTAL OIL SPILLS IN AN EASTERN COASTAL PLAIN ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM

1977 ◽  
Vol 1977 (1) ◽  
pp. 517-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Kator ◽  
Russell Herwig

ABSTRACT Three large transite-sided enclosures, constructed in a tidal salt marsh in southeastern Virginia, were utilized to evaluate the effects of crude oil spillage on selected microbial populations. Unweathered Louisiana crude oil was spilled in one enclosure, artificially weathered South Louisiana crude in another, and the third served as a control. Each enclosure was constructed so as to allow unhampered exchange with tidal flow on the tidal creek side. Heterotrophic bacteria and fungi, chitinolytic, cellulytic and petroleum-degrading bacterial populations from the tidal creek, and sediments in intertidal, mid- and back-marsh zones were enumerated at selected intervals following the oil spills. Dominant petroleum-degrading and heterotrophic bacterial isolates were selected for taxonomic grouping. Within several days following the spills, the levels of petroleum-degrading bacteria rose by several orders of magnitude relative to the control enclosure. This differential has been maintained for approximately one year. Plots of the ratio of oil-degrading to heterotrophic bacteria reveal enhancement of the petroleum degrading component of the heterotrophic population. Mean levels of chitinolytic, cellulytic, heterotrophic bacteria and fungi were not statistically different in the oil and control enclosures. The potential significance of these observations is discussed.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-16
Author(s):  
Obhioze Augustine Akpoka

The capability of indigenous bacteria and microalgae in crude oil effluents to grow in and utilize crude oil as their sole source of carbon and energy provides an environmentally friendly and economical process for dealing with crude oil pollution and its inherent hazards. In view of the toxicity of crude oil spillages to indwellers of the affected ecosystems and the entire affected environment, the isolation of pure bacterial and microalgae cultures from crude effluents is a step in the right direction, particularly for bio-augmentation or bioremediation purposes. The total heterotrophic bacteria count and hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria count, as well as the microalgae count, were determined with the pour plate technique. The physicochemical properties of the effluent samples were also analyzed. Identification of the hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria was performed with phenotypic techniques. The result shows a mean total heterotrophic bacterium count of 5.91 log CFU/ml and a mean microalga count of 4.77 log cells/ml. When crude oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) were used as sole carbon sources, total hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria counts were respectively estimated at 3.89 and 2.89 log CFU/ml. Phenotypic identification of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in the crude oil effluents revealed the presence of two main bacterial genera: Streptococcus and Pseudomonas. Data obtained from this study confirmed the biodegradative abilities of indigenous bacterial species, thus, ultimately resulting in the amelioration of the toxicity associated with the crude oil effluents.


Author(s):  
H. D. Nyarko ◽  
G. C. Okpokwasili ◽  
O. F. Joel ◽  
I. A. K. Galyuon

Aims: The study aimed at the quantification, isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria in oil-contaminated and pristine soils. Methodology: Soil samples from petroleum hydrocarbon polluted sites at auto-mechanic workshops, a mechanic village, as well as pristine (control) soils, comprising of 14 sampling locations within Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana were collected using standard sampling techniques. Collected soil samples were treated and cultured while enumerations, isolations and characterization of carbonoclastic bacteria associated were evaluated. Results: Bacterial populations isolated from hydrocarbon-polluted sites had higher aerobic counts ranging from 7.24-8.02 log10 cfu/g of soil when compared with the pristine sites (from 6.79-7.61 log10 cfu/g of soil). Also, soil samples from the mechanic village (8.76 to 7.48 log10 cfu/g of soil) recorded more bacterial counts than those from the mechanic garages (8.02 to 7.24 log10 cfu/g of soil). The calculated percentage profiles of all the hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in the total culturable heterotrophic bacteria were low throughout the study, even though the percentage scores were all above 50%. A total of 19 hydrocarbon degraders were isolated. The isolates identified belong to the genera Pseudomonas, Proteus, Bacillus and Enterobacter. Conclusion: The outcome of the study based on the bacteria populations, identification profiles, coupled with their survival and multiplications in designated medium amended with crude oil as the carbon and energy sources, suggest their petroleum hydrocarbon degrading capabilities, hence may be used in bioremediation applications.


1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 (1) ◽  
pp. 427-434
Author(s):  
Kasthuri Venkateswaran ◽  
Hiroki Tanaka ◽  
Shyoko Komukai ◽  
Haruhisa Toki ◽  
Tokuro Iwabuchi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Ecological studies, screening of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, and studies of the potentials of various single and mixed bacterial populations in the utilization of petroleum compounds were carried out to understand the microbial hydrocarbon degradation process in marine ecosystems. Populations of hydrocarbon utilizers were larger in coastal regions than in pelagic environments. Ecological observations indicated that oil-degrading bacteria were ubiquitously distributed in both temperate and tropical environments, irrespective of oil-polluted and unpolluted ecosystems. Bacteria were grown with n-tetradecane, pristane, propylbenzene, phenanthrene, and crude oil as the sole carbon source; and substrate specificities of the purified strains were characterized. Based on the assimilation characteristics of the isolated strains, an artificial mixed-culture system was constructed. Biodegradation of crude oil by the natural mixed population was found to be higher than by the artificial mixed population. However, when some of the substrate-specific degraders were artificially mixed with natural microflora, the degradation of hard-to-degrade aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of crude oil was enhanced.


1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 573-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Colwell ◽  
A. L. Mills ◽  
J. D. Walker ◽  
P. Garcia-Tello ◽  
V. Campos-P.

The grounding of the tanker V.L.C.C. Metula in the Straits of Magellan in August 1974 provided a unique opportunity to study a massive spill in a cold region on a long-term basis. Removal of spilled oil from the Metula was solely by in situ physiochemical and biological mechanisms. Microbiological studies undertaken in May 1976 showed increased heterotrophic bacterial populations at oil-impacted sites. A cold-tolerant population of petroleum degrading bacteria was observed. From biodegradation studies, we concluded that oil degradation under in situ conditions proceeds relatively slowly, with marked persistence of Metula oil in the Straits of Magellan 2 yr after the original spill. Key words: petroleum degradation, oil spills, Straits of Magellan, microbial degradation of oil, Metula


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
IA Allamin ◽  
UJJ Ijah ◽  
HY Ismail ◽  
ML Riskuwa

Soil samples were collected from five sites covering petroleum exploration station in Kukawa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria between October, 2012 and February, 2013 at two different depths (0-10cm and 10-20cm) to enumerate and identify hydrocarbon degrading bacteria in the soil. Total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (TAHB) were enumerated on Nutrient agar (NA), and Hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (HUB) enumerated on Oil agar (OA). The bacterial isolates were identified using morphological and biochemical tests. It was observed that the microorganisms (TAHB, and HUB) were more densely populated at 10cm depth. (TAHB: 5.3×108 - 11.4×108cfu/g, and HUB: 2.4×105 - 5.3×105 cfu/g, than at 20 cm depth (TAHB: 3.0×108 - 5.7×108 cfu/g, and HUB: 2.1×105 - 4.8×105 cfu/g). The HUB was identified as species of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Lactobacillus, Micrococcus, Corynebacterium, and Actinomyces. Bacillus, and Pseudomonas species were more constantly isolated than other isolates and they constitute 100% of total bacterial isolates. The potential of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria isolated to degrade hydrocarbon was studied. Nineteen (19) bacterial species was screened, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Micrococcus leteus,and Lactobacillus casei, utilized and degrade crude oil at considerably high rates after 21 days of incubation. The degradation efficiency was confirmed by GC-MS analysis, which indicated that the bacterial isolates utilized most of the crude oil components particularly straight chain alkanes and cycloalkanes DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10503 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2) 2014: 36-47


Author(s):  
Bolanle Opere

Introduction: Petroleum hydrocarbons can be degraded by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeast and microalgae. However, bacteria play an imperative role in hydrocarbon degradation. Microorganisms are endowed with metabolism machinery to use petroleum products as a carbon and energy source Aims: The aim of the study is to isolate hydrocarbon degrading bacteria from hydrocarbon polluted site (mechanic workshops) in Lagos state. Materials and Methods: The physical, chemical and microbiological properties of the three soil sample were analyzed using standard procedure. Hydrocarbon degraders were isolated on 1% crude oil mineral salt medium via enrichment technique. The best hydrocarbon degrader were identified on the basis of their colonial morphology, biochemical characteristics and complemented with analytical profile index (API) kit. Hydrocarbon degradation were monitored using total viable count and residual oil was determined by Gas Chromatography equipped with Flame Ionized detector (GC-FID). Results: Alkaline pH were observed for all three soil samples, the total nitrogen detected were 0.07, 0.04 and 0.1. The total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) estimated were 3 x 1010, 6.5 x 109 and 1.7 x 1010 cfu/ml while the total hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria estimated via vapour phase were 1.89 x 106 , 4x104 and 9.62 x 107 cfu/ml for Ikeja, Iyana-Iba and Mushin sample. The organisms had a generation time of 5.56, 9.09 and 10.9 (d), the degradation half-life were 3.85, 6.3 and 7.5 (d) respectively. Over 60% hydrocarbon degradation were determined within 10 days for all three isolates. The Gc-fid prints shows reduction in peak area of various hydrocarbon fractions with a decrease in pH of the medium. Conclusion: The study showed that hydrocarbon degraders are ubiquitously distributed in the hydrocarbon polluted soil sample. Their degradation potential can be optimized so as curtail the adverse effect of petroleum in the environment


Author(s):  
E. Eseosa Ediae ◽  
I. Cliff Ediae ◽  
U. Okon Edet ◽  
I. Ubi Bassey ◽  
E. Nkagafel Mbim ◽  
...  

Crude oil pollution is common place in the Niger Delta despite well known adverse effects on aquatic and terrestrial biodiversities. Triplicate sediment samples were obtained from Bodo community in Ogoni Land, Niger Delta and made into a composite sample. The sample was then evaluated for physicochemical parameters, heavy metals, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), polyaromatic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), total heterotrophic bacteria (THBC), and fungi (THFC) using standards methodologies. Concentration profile of heavy metals was iron (Fe) > chromium (Cr) > zinc (Zn) > nickel (Ni) > vanadium (V) in decreasing order. Furthermore, the concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate, sulphate were 884.53, 12.32, 34.45, and 26.76 mg/kg, respectively. TPH and PAH concentrations were 30,797 and 52.12 mg/kg, respectively. Nitrate, iron, chromium, nickel, TPH, and PAH all failed to meet regulatory standards. TPH failed to meet Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGASPIN) target and intervention values of 50 and 5,000 mg/kg, respectively. Total heterotrophic bacteria and fungi counts were observed to decrease with days of incubation in crude oil. The findings in the study reveal worrisome levels of TPH, PAH, iron, chromium, and nickel, and impact on microbial diversity. Thus, there is a need for periodic monitoring of sediments and water bodies in the Niger Delta.


Environments ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Latifa Hamoudi-Belarbi ◽  
Safia Hamoudi ◽  
Khaled Belkacemi ◽  
L’Hadi Nouri ◽  
Leila Bendifallah ◽  
...  

The biostimulation potentials of carrot peel waste and carob kibbles for bioremediation of crude petroleum-oil polluted soil were investigated. Temperature, pH, moisture, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), and changes in microbial counts during 45 days were monitored when 4 mL of carrot peel waste or carob kibbles media were added to 200 g of crude oil polluted soil samples. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) was used to compare hydrocarbon present in the crude oil polluted soil and in pure fuel, composition of crude oil polluted soil was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the TPH was measured by distillation using distiller mud. The results showed that, at the end of experiments, the concentration of TPH decreased in crude oil polluted soil containing carrot peel waste with a percentage of 27 ± 1.90% followed by crude oil polluted soil containing carob kibbles (34 ± 1.80%) and in the unamended control soil (36 ± 1.27%), respectively. The log [Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g] of total heterotrophic bacteria in the crude oil polluted soil increased from 10.46 ± 0.91 to 13.26 ± 0.84 for carrot peel waste, from 11.01 ± 0.56 to 11.99 ± 0.77 for carob kibbles and from 8.18 ± 0.39 to 8.84 ± 0.84 for control, respectively. Such results demonstrated that carrot peel could be used to enhance activities of the microbial hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria during bioremediation of crude petroleum-oil polluted soil.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. French ◽  
N. Terry

AbstractOver the past 100 years, oil spills and long-term waste deposition from oil refineries have significantly polluted the environment. These contaminants have widespread negative effects on human health and ecosystem functioning. Natural attenuation of long chain and polyaromatic hydrocarbons is slow and often incomplete. Bioaugmentation of polluted soils with indigenous bacteria that naturally consume petroleum hydrocarbons could speed up this process. However, the characterization of bacterial crude oil degradation efficiency—which often relies upon expensive, highly specialized gas-chromatography mass spectrometry analyses--can present a substantial bottleneck in developing and implementing these bioremediation strategies. Here, we develop a low-cost, rapid, high-throughput fluorescence-based assay for identifying wild-type bacteria that degrade crude oil using the dye Nile Red. We show that Nile Red fluoresces when in contact with crude oil and developed a robust linear model to calculate crude oil content in liquid cell cultures based on fluorescence intensity (FI). To test whether this assay could identify bacteria with enhanced metabolic capacities to break down crude oil, we screened bacteria isolated from a former Shell Oil refinery in Bay Point, CA and identified one strain (Cupriavidus sp. OPK) with superior crude oil depletion efficiencies (up to 83%) in only three days. We further illustrate that this assay can be combined with fluorescence microscopy to study how bacteria interact with crude oil and the strategies they use to degrade this complex substance. We show for the first time that bacteria use three key strategies for degrading crude oil: biofilm formation, direct adherence to oil droplets, and vesicle encapsulation of oil. We propose that the quantitative and qualitative data from this assay can be used to develop new bioremediation strategies based on bioaugmentation and/or biomimetic materials that imitate the natural ability of bacteria to degrade crude oil.


2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 1554-1561 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. R. Maddela ◽  
M. Masabanda ◽  
M. Leiva-Mora

Isolating new diesel-oil-degrading microorganisms from crude-oil contaminated sites and evaluating their degradation capacities are vitally important in the remediation of oil-polluted environments and crude-oil exploitation. In this research, new hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and fungi were isolated from the crude-oil contaminated soil of the oil-fields in the Amazon rainforest of north-east Ecuador by using a soil enrichment technique. Degradation analysis was tracked by gas chromatography and a flame ionization detector. Under laboratory conditions, maximum degradability of the total n-alkanes reached up to 77.34 and 62.62 removal ratios after 30 days of incubation for the evaporated diesel oil by fungi (isolate-1) and bacteria (isolate-1), respectively. The 16S/18S rDNA sequence analysis indicated that the microorganisms were most closely (99–100%) related to Bacillus cereus (isolate-1), Bacillus thuringiensis (isolate-2), Geomyces pannorum (isolate-1), and Geomyces sp. (isolate-2). Therefore, these strains enable the degradation of hydrocarbons as the sole carbon source, and these findings will benefit these strains in the remediation of oil-polluted environments and oil exploitation.


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