DNA analysis of surfactant and oil associated bacteria in the near-surface layer of the ocean in relation to natural and oil slicks observed with SAR

摘要

Certain types of microbes are associated with natural surfactants, which accumulate on the sea surface and create slicks. Oil spills also contain surfactants. Sea surface and subsurface microbial samples were collected in the vicinity of a leaking oil platform (Taylor Energy) off the Louisiana Coast in April 2017 as a part of the CARTHE/GoMRI project. Argonne National Laboratory performed the DNA analysis of samples using Illumina MiSeq. Here, we analyse the surfactant- and oil-associated bacteria in conjunction with TerraSAR-X, RADARSAT-2, and Sentinel-1 imagery. This new approach may contribute to the monitoring of the ocean environment on a global scale.