Limiting factors for hydrocarbon biodegradation at low temperature in Arctic soils

Mohn, William W.; Stewart, Gordon R.

doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(00)00032-8

Cited by 157 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Lack of control over the parameters affecting microbial activity (temperature, pH, moisture, aeration, mixing, and circulation) prolongs treatment time (62,177,267,269,366,389,405,406,407,432). Maximum contaminant degradation occurs in the tilled surface, typically amounting to 10 to 20 cm of depth, although deeper aeration and mixing with ploughing and rotovating equipment has also been effectively implemented.…”

Section: Treatment Of Contaminated Soils and Sludgesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Petroleum Microbiology

Hamme¹,

Singh

Ward

2003

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

1,201

640

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Recent advances in molecular biology have extended our understanding of the metabolic processes related to microbial transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons. The physiological responses of microorganisms to the presence of hydrocarbons, including cell surface alterations and adaptive mechanisms for uptake and efflux of these substrates, have been characterized. New molecular techniques have enhanced our ability to investigate the dynamics of microbial communities in petroleum-impacted ecosystems. By establishing conditions which maximize rates and extents of microbial growth, hydrocarbon access, and transformation, highly accelerated and bioreactor-based petroleum waste degradation processes have been implemented. Biofilters capable of removing and biodegrading volatile petroleum contaminants in air streams with short substrate-microbe contact times (<60 s) are being used effectively. Microbes are being injected into partially spent petroleum reservoirs to enhance oil recovery. However, these microbial processes have not exhibited consistent and effective performance, primarily because of our inability to control conditions in the subsurface environment. Microbes may be exploited to break stable oilfield emulsions to produce pipeline quality oil. There is interest in replacing physical oil desulfurization processes with biodesulfurization methods through promotion of selective sulfur removal without degradation of associated carbon moieties. However, since microbes require an environment containing some water, a two-phase oil-water system must be established to optimize contact between the microbes and the hydrocarbon, and such an emulsion is not easily created with viscous crude oil. This challenge may be circumvented by application of the technology to more refined gasoline and diesel substrates, where aqueous-hydrocarbon emulsions are more easily generated. Molecular approaches are being used to broaden the substrate specificity and increase the rates and extents of desulfurization. Bacterial processes are being commercialized for removal of H2S and sulfoxides from petrochemical waste streams. Microbes also have potential for use in removal of nitrogen from crude oil leading to reduced nitric oxide emissions provided that technical problems similar to those experienced in biodesulfurization can be solved. Enzymes are being exploited to produce added-value products from petroleum substrates, and bacterial biosensors are being used to analyze petroleum-contaminated environments

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Section: Treatment Of Contaminated Soils and Sludgesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Petroleum Microbiology

Hamme¹,

Singh

Ward

2003

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

1,201

640

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“…Several studies have reported favorable effects of fertilization on oil biodegradation at low temperatures in arctic soils (7,25,28,37), alpine soils (17)(18)(19), and antarctic soils (1,35). An understanding of nutrient effects at a specific site is essential for successful bioremediation (7,8,27).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioremediation (Natural Attenuation and Biostimulation) of Diesel-Oil-Contaminated Soil in an Alpine Glacier Skiing Area

Margesin

Schinner

2001

Appl Environ Microbiol

324

131

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“…However, this study suggests that Inipol EAP 22 addition had no clear effect on indigenous bacteria in sub-Antarctic soil contaminated with oil hydrocarbons. It is well established that nutrients are one of the major factors limiting hydrocarbon biodegradation in soil and sea (Lee et Levy, 1989;Walker et al, 1997;Santas et al, 1999;Head and Swannell, 1999;Mohn and Stewart, 2000). Several studies have reported favourable effects of fertilizers on oil biodegradation at low temperatures in Arctic (Braddock et al, 1997;Piotrowski and Aaserude, 1992;Whyte et al, 1999;Mohn and Stewart, 2000), Alpine (Margesin and Schinner, 1997b;Margesin and Schinner, 1999) and Antarctic soils (Kerry, 1993;Wardell, 1995;Aislabie et al, 1998;Delille 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%