In situ microbial degradation of Prudhoe Bay crude oil in Beaufort Sea sediments |
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| Authors: | JR Haines RM Atlas |
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| Institution: | Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA |
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| Abstract: | This study examined the fate of Prudhoe Bay crude oil in nearshore sediments of the Beaufort Sea, in situ, with emphasis on the rôle of microorganisms in the weathering process. The results indicate that oil is degraded in Arctic sediments very slowly; only after 1 year's exposure was biodegradation evident. Several factors probably contributed to the slow rate of microbial weathering, including: limited populations of hydrocarbon utilising microorganisms; localised high oil concentrations; low temperatures; limiting nutrient concentrations (unfavourable C:N and C:P ratios); low oxygen tensions and limited circulation of interstitial waters in fine-grained sediments. Abiotic weathering of the oil was also slow, with limited loss of low molecular weight aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons during 2 years' exposure. Significant features of the overall weathering process were: lack of initial loss of low molecular weight compounds; aliphatic compounds were not preferentially degraded over aromatic compounds and C17, and lower molecular weight normal alkanes were preferentially degraded over higher molecular weight alkanes. The results of this study indicate that hydrocarbons will persist relatively unaltered for several years if Beaufort Sea sediments are contaminated with petroleum. |
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