Paper 1

Through consistent oil spill catastrophes in recent years, it is clear there is a need for a safe method of cleaning these spills. From oil disasters such as the Gulf Oil Spill in 2010 to smaller spill that occur weekly, thousands of accidental spills occur per year. Many of these spills occur in marine environments. In such fragile ecosystems and in an area that is vital to our economy, oil spills can prove devastating in these environments. Through multiple fields of experimentation, several different methods have been created to try to contain and clean these spills. None however, are as promising as the bioremediation of oil spills through the biostimulation of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. These bacteria metabolize the hydrocarbons in oil and make them less toxic for the environment. This in combination with mechanical methods of cleaning provide the highest ceiling in efficiency along with the safest byproducts. Through a clear understanding of how oil reacts in marine environments, how these bacteria function, and the alternative options in cleaning a spill, it is clear that the biostimulation of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria in combination with mechanical methods is the most sensible method of cleaning an oil spill.

Crude oil has the ideal composition for bacteria specializing in the metabolism of hydrocarbons. Carbon makes up eighty three to eighty seven percent of its composition, depending on the conditions it was formed in. Oil was formed from organisms that that millions of years ago used sunlight as their energy source via the process of photosynthesis. These algae and plants were buried over time in the Earth. Over millions of years, they were heated and exposed to large amounts of pressure. The res...

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...ded once. The rates of biodegradation occurred when the bacteria had access to the nitrogen. Once that resource was extinguished, the bacterial rate of degradation decreased to normal levels.

In experimentation done within the Baffin Island Oil Spill Project, the effectiveness of nutrient enhancement on biodegradation was tested. In small parameters (10m x 10m) in a low energy system, two plots were established. One was contaminated with no treatment. The other plot was contaminated with oil and then received nutrient treatment. Although the results of this experiment are debate due to the lack of statistical evidence collected, it was clear that the side that was treated was much cleaner. The experimentation pre 1980 is often questioned due to a lack of high quality collection technology. However, these experiments laid a foundation for further testing.