Dispersant Enhances Hydrocarbon Degradation and Alters the Structure of Metabolically Active Microbial Communities in Shallow Seawater From the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: Dispersant application is a primary emergency oil spill response strategy and yet the efficacy and unintended consequences of this approach in marine ecosystems remain controversial. To address these uncertainties, ex situ incubations were conducted to quantify the impact of dispersant on petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) biodegradation rates and microbial community structure at as close as realistically possible to approximated in situ conditions [2 ppm v/v oil with or without dispersant, at a dispersant to oil ratio (DOR) of 1:15] in surface seawater. Biodegradation rates were not substantially affected by dispersant application at low mixing conditions, while under completely dispersed conditions, biodegradation was substantially enhanced, decreasing the overall half-life of tot

SUBMITTER: Sun X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6842959 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature