oil degrading bacteria
Adding Oil to the Marine Snow Mix
Can oil spills lead to large marine snow events? After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill people noticed large marine snow aggregates in the water. Researchers in this study investigated how these abnormally large aggregates formed. Victoria TreadawayI am a PhD candidate at the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. I am […]
A blanket of oil: the role of bacteria in cleaning up after Deepwater Horizon
Nearly one million barrels of oil landed on the seafloor after the Deepwater Horizon spill – a feast if bacteria are able to consume it. Michael GrawI’m a 5th year PhD student at Oregon State University researching the microbial ecology of marine sediments – why do we find microbes where they are in the seafloor, […]
Microbes: The original organic cleaning agents
Natural and human caused leakage of oil into the environment is commonplace throughout the world. Scientists are learning how microbes (microscopic organisms) can break down this oil and use it for energy. By understanding these processes, we will be able to determine the short and long-term environmental impacts, as well as use these organisms to […]
Oil spill first responders: how tiny algae cultivate oil-degrading bacteria
After an oil spill, millions of oil-degrading bacteria are on the scene almost immediately. But how do they survive in regions with no oil pollution? A new study shows that tiny cyanobacteria produce enough oil to maintain a small population of oil-degraders, capable of rapidly multiplying in response to the sudden influx of oil from […]
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