Biodegradation of dispersed oil in seawater is not inhibited by a commercial oil spill dispersant

Marine Pollution Bulletin
Odd G BrakstadRoman Netzer

Abstract

Chemical dispersants are well-established as oil spill response tools. Several studies have emphasized their positive effects on oil biodegradation, but recent studies have claimed that dispersants may actually inhibit the oil biodegradation process. In this study, biodegradation of oil dispersions in natural seawater at low temperature (5°C) was compared, using oil without dispersant, and oil premixed with different concentrations of Slickgone NS, a widely used oil spill dispersant in Europe. Saturates (nC10-nC36 alkanes), naphthalenes and 2- to 5-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were biotransformed at comparable rates in all dispersions, both with and without dispersant. Microbial communities differed primarily between samples with or without oil, and they were not significantly affected by increasing dispersant concentrations. Our data therefore showed that a common oil spill dispersant did not inhibit biodegradation of oil at dispersant concentrations relevant for response operations.

Citations

Aug 24, 2018·Environmental Microbiology·Hidetoshi UrakawaBehzad Mortazavi
Sep 13, 2019·Water Environment Research : a Research Publication of the Water Environment Federation·Alan J MearnsNicolle Rutherford
Aug 23, 2020·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Taylor R GofsteinMary Beth Leigh
Jun 23, 2021·Scientific Reports·Chatsuda SakdapetsiriOnruthai Pinyakong
May 2, 2018·Environmental Science & Technology·Alun Lewis, Roger C Prince
Aug 29, 2021·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Synnøve LofthusOdd Gunnar Brakstad

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