Depletion and biodegradation of hydrocarbons in dispersions and emulsions of the Macondo 252 oil generated in an oil-on-seawater mesocosm flume basin

作者：Brakstad Odd G^*; Daling Per S; Faksness Liv G; Almas Inger K; Vang Siv H; Syslak Line; Leirvik Frode

来源：Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2014, 84(1-2): 125-134.

DOI：10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.05.027

• Oil dispersions
• Emulsions
• Hydrocarbons
• Depletion
• Biodegradation
• Flume basin

Physically and chemically (Corexit 9500) generated Macondo 252 oil dispersions, or emulsions (no Corexit), were prepared in an oil-on-seawater mesocosm flume basin at 30-32 degrees C, and studies of oil compound depletion performed for up to 15 days. The use of Corexit 9500 resulted in smaller median droplet size than in a physically generated dispersion. Rapid evaporation of low boiling point oil compounds (C %26lt;= 15) appeared in all the experiments. Biodegradation appeared to be an important depletion process for compounds with higher boiling points in the dispersions, but was negligible in the surface emulsions. While n-alkane biodegradation was faster in chemically than in physically dispersed oil no such differences were determined for 3- and 4-ring PAH compounds. In the oil dispersions prepared by Corexit 9500, increased cell concentrations, reduction in bacterial diversity, and a temporary abundance of bacteria containing an alkB gene were associated with oil biodegradation.

• 出版日期2014-7-15