Biodegradation of Oil in the Arctic: Enhancement by Oil-Soluble Fertilizer Application

Abstract

Oil exploration in arctic regions will require special oil spill cleanup methods for shorelines. The application of fertilizers to speed biodegradation of oil may hold promise. INIPOL EAP22, an oil-soluble fertilizer that is nontoxic and biodegradable, was tested in a series of experiments on Spitsbergen, Norway, to determine its effectiveness under various conditions. The fertilizer was applied to floating oil and to oil on shoreline sediments. Effectiveness of the treatments varied. The oil-on-water experiments showed virtually no signs of biodegradation, perhaps because photo-oxidation products and low-boiling-point hydrocarbons interfered. Experiments with oil in sediments showed mixed results: oil in finer sediments showed little or no biodegradation, but oil in coarser sediments was significantly biodegraded. Uptake and exchange of nutrients depends on the complex growth kinetics of the bacteria involved, and requires detailed study.

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Oil Spill Bioremediation

“…Even greater enhancement, 70% fertilized compared to 20% unfertilized, was found in high-energy, oxygen saturation, tests (LaDousse et al, 1987). Field tests also showed enhanced rates of oil biodegradation when Inipol EAP 22 fertilizer was applied, even in cold Arctic tests (Sirvins and Angles, 1986;Sveum and LaDousse, 1989).…”

“…In the aftermath of the Amoco Cadiz oil spill of 1978, a commercial oleophilic fertilizer was developed by Elf Aquitaine (Sirvins and Angles, 1986;LaDousse et at., 1987;Sveum and LaDousse, 1989;Tramier and Sirvins, 1983;LaDousse and Tramier, 1991). The product called Inipol EAP 22 contains urea as a nitrogen source, laureth phosphate as a phosphate source, and oleic acid as a carbon source to boost the popula-tions of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms.…”

Bioremediation of Oil on Shoreline Environments: Development of Techniques and Guidelines

“…To counter this problem, oleophilic nutrient formulations have been developed to retain optimal nutrient concentrations at the oil-water interface where biodegradation occurs [25,29]. Inipol EAP 22 (Elf Aquitaine, France) is an example of one of the most promising oleophilic nutrient formulations developed to date [30]. The product is a microemulsion mixture composed of urea in brine encapsulated in oleic acid as the external phase with lauryl-ether-phosphate as a surfactant.…”

Effect of dispersed oil on heterotrophic bacterial communities in cold marine waters

“…The major contribution of bacteria to hydrocarbon decomposition is unquestionable. Numerous studies have dealt with the impact of bacteria on petroleum hydrocarbon degradation, but only a few of them paid attention to the possible regulating effects of hydrocarbons on natural bacteria [25,39]. The aim of this work was to investigate the consequences of oil contamination on the structure of the heterotrophic bacterial community in the ice-covered water of the St. Lawrence Estuary.…”