Laboratory Studies Evaluating the Enhanced Biodegradation of Weathered Crude Oil Components through the Application of Nutrients

摘要

Bench-scale biodegradability studies of the Alaskan weathered crude oil were undertaken as part of the bioremediation project for the shorelines of Prince William Sound, Alaska, contaminated by the Exxon oil spill. The purpose of the studies was to evaluate the capability of the indigenous microbial consortium of the sea water and island beach areas, to biodegrade the weathered crude oil alkane hydrocarbon and polynuclear aromatic (PAH) constituents in batch-type respirometric reactors and shaker flask systems. Biodegradation studies incorporated the use of Inipol EAP 22 as the fertilizer nutrient source. In the respirometric studies, the unpolluted beach material in seawater was spiked with 1,000, 300, and 100 mg/L of weathered crude oil and with Inipol at 5% of oil weight was used in shaker flask studies. Temperature of incubation in both studies was 15 C and culture systems were incubated in darkness. Cumulative oxygen uptake data, growth data and GC/MS analysis data demonstrate almost complete utilization of the alkane hydrocarbon constituents in the presence of Inipol fertilizer and significant biodegradation of the PAH constituents after 6 weeks of incubation.