Petroleum Degradation in Low Temperature Marine and Estuarine Environments.
Abstract
Bacterial isolates have been obtained by enrichment culture techniques from Narragansett Bay, R. I. and Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia. Hydrocarbon utilization profiles demonstrate some isolates able to utilize aromatic, cyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, some isolates able to utilize only cyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbons and other isolates only able to utilize aliphatic hydrocarbons. The isolates have been tentatively assigned to a number of different genera. Temperature studies demonstrated that the isolates are psychro-tolerant and hydrocarbons are metabolized at temperatures as low as 0C. Gas chromatographic analyses show a decrease in sediment hydrocarbons which correlates with the bacterial enrichment. Electron micrographs show increased differentiation of the cytoplasm, distortion and elongation of the cell shape, loss of slime material, formation of large inclusions, multiple nuclear areas and the presence of oxisomes in cells found in the hydrocarbon layer. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0778687
Entities
People
- Richard W. Traxler
Organizations
- University of Rhode Island