This course explains what an oil spill is, describes the characteristics of an oil spill, and how to identify and control hazards during the response and cleanup phases of an oil spill. The identification of an oil spill triggers the mobilization of personnel and equipment to protect the health and safety of the public, and to detect, contain, and recover the spilled oil while minimizing impacts to communities and the environment. Bioremediation is a process used to treat contaminated media, including water, soil and subsurface material, by altering environmental conditions to stimulate growth of microorganisms and degrade the target pollutants. Oil spill cleanup workers can face potential hazards from oil byproducts, dispersants, detergents and degreasers. Oil spills have become serious problem in cold environments with ever icrese in resource exploitation,transportation,storage and accidental lekage of oils bioremidation is a promising action for remidation it is effective and economic in removing oils with less undue environmental damages. These breakthroughs could save our oceans from harmful oil. I got caught up in the euphoria of having my graduation from middlesex university recently and all the excitement. Bioremediation is a process which uses microorganisms and their products to remove contaminants from the soil usepa 2000, 2012. Bioremediation of oil spills using microorganism science. Weathering and environmental factors play large roles in the success of bioremediation. Unlike the exxon valdez tragedy, in which a tanker held a finite capacity of oil, british petroleums rig is tapped into an underwater oil well and could pump more oil into the ocean indefinitely until the leak is plugged. Heavy crude oils that contain large amounts of resin and asphaltene compounds are less amenable to bioremediation than are lightor mediumweight crude oils that are rich in aliphatic components. Frankenberger b, a department of soil science, federal university of rio grande do sul, porto alegre rs 91540000, brazil b department of environmental sciences084, university of california. Continued on next page shortcut to table of contents v january 2003.
Cleans oilcontaminated sites and postrefining oil residues oil spills into the aquatic and terrestrial environments are a not so uncommon occurrence. Viscositytemperature relationship for the four crude oils in table 1. Bioremediation of oil spills wackett 2012 microbial. Bioremediation techniques have become a major mechanism for removing oil residues on the affected shorelines. Oils spilled into the sea at temperatures below their pour point form semi. Biological treatment is a similar approach used to treat wastes. Oil degrading microorganisms are indigenous to the world oceans, but environmental constraints limit their activity and so a bioremediation strategy must be tailored to local conditions. Oil spill research strategy 1 introduction the environmental protection agencys epa oil spill research program has been in existence since 1990, following the exxon valdez oil spill and enactment of the oil pollution act of 1990 opa90.
More than three months ago, an explosion on an oil drilling platform in the gulf of mexico set off what scientists think may be the worst environmental disaster we have ever faced in the united states. Inevitably, the spill has once again raised serious concerns worldwide about the likely environmental impact of such catastrophic oil spills caused by oil. Short and longterm health impacts of marine and terrestrial oil spills. Bioremediation of crude oil spills and its effect on aquifer geochemistry the tph also decreases in this case but the rate of decrease is more than that of heavy oil which is according to expected results as light crude oil consists of lighter and volatile components and hence is easier to degrade.
This is when petroleum degrading bacteria and archaea are able to mediate oil spills most efficiently. Abstract bioremediation of marine oil spills in the long run, biodegradation is the eventual fate. Oil spill eater ii ose biological enzyme for oil spill bioremediation by osei oil spill eater international, corp. Amsa offices temporarily closed to the public for all facetoface services from close of business 20 march 2020. However, extensive oil extraction, transport and use have resulted in many accidental oil spills. An oil spill is a form of pollution that involves the release of petroleum into the biosphere especially the waterways such as oceans, posing a huge threat to marine life. Bioremediation of oil spills using microorganism science of. The most notable oil spills at sea involve large tankers, such as exxon valdez, which spilled thousands of tones oil paine et al. Table 1 the largest oil spills in norway related to offshore petroleum activity and shipping accidents. Journal of bioremediation and biodegradation open access. In the years following the spill, portions of the crude oil dissolved in the flowing ground water and moved 200 m from the original spill site. An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the.
Preventing oil spill is definitely the best strategy for avoiding potential damage to human health and the. Oil spill clean up can be fast and easy with aabaco environmental industries absorbents and bioremediation products. Oil spill cleanup may take days to years based on the properties and quantity of. The tragic exxon valdez oil spill in 1989, informed the united states of the lack of preparedness the oil industry and country had in such remediation situations. Can plants be used to clean up soils contaminated by crude oil.
History of bioremediation 1972 first commercial application. Ppt bioremediation of oil spills powerpoint presentation. Some contend that dispersants should not be used, while others point to their ability to speed up natural oil biodegradation processes. Bioremediation of marine oil spills has become a very practical approach to oil spill cleanup efforts in recent years.
With such a high consumption, oil spills are inevitable. Mar 14, 2019 an oil spill is a form of pollution that involves the release of petroleum into the biosphere especially the waterways such as oceans, posing a huge threat to marine life. This crude oil spills, alters the physicochemical properties of the soil 7, making it impossible for the soil to produce at. Techniques bats used both for oil spill prevention and oil spill response. These organisms remove oil seepage and spilled oil from the marine and terrestrial environment. Since the 1980sbioremediation of oil spills and other hazardous wastes has received more consideration shannon and unterman, 1993. Pdf the effect of oil spills on the bacterial diversity and catabolic. Comparative bioremediation of soils contaminated with diesel oil by natural attenuation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation fatima m. Bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil using organic. Currently, there are limited methods for cleaning up oil spill which have reached the shoreline or which have spread over a large area.
The physical and chemical characteristics of the oil are also important determinants of bioremediation success. Oil spill pollution could also result from the sales, and uses of petroleum products, pipeline overflow, breakage, and storage tank spill 5,6. Most plants dont work on phytoremediation of terrestrial oil spills because the oil kills plants. Bioremediation of oil spills submitted by anchal garg environment science 2016 2. May, 2000 the purpose of this fact sheet is to provide on scene coordinators and other decisionmakers with the latest information on evolving technologies that may be. Manual removal of oil is a critical first step and when paired with bioremediation. Bioremediation oil spills list of high impact articles. Ose ii is not a bacteria bug, fertilizer or dispersant product. Bioremediation spill response plan oil spill eater ii. Apr 16, 2012 in the gulf of mexico oil spill, there was a large difference in the surface and deep water temperatures. Oil spills require quick action so that they cause as little damage as possible. If the spilled oil reaches shore, it damages the beaches and causes land pollution. The increasing number of marine oil spills asks for effective solutions for the environment. Bioremediation as a tool for resiliency in oil spills.
Hydrocarbondegrading bacteria often produce bioemulsifiers. Best available techniques for oil spill containment and. Sensitivity of aquatic habitats aquatic environments are made up of complex interrelations between plant and animal species and their physical environment. Mousse will eventually disperse in the water column. Introduction an oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity. In the case of the exxon valdez spill, the largest and most thoroughly studied application of bioremediation, the application of fertilizer slow release or oleophilic increased rates of biodegradation 35 times.
Interacting soil and pollutant chemicals truly account for the work that can be completed by these microorganisms. The opa90 authorizes the epa office of research and development ord to conduct oil spill research. Oil spill bioremediation technologies epitomize modern environmental techniquesworking with natural processes to remove spilled oil from the environment while minimizing undesirable environmental impacts. Chapter two describes how mechanical equipment, such as booms and skimmers, is used to block the spread of oil, concentrate it. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of customer care while restoring and improving the environment. Oil spill causes damage to plant life, aquatic species, coral, rocks etc. Such emulsions can form quickly in turbulent conditions and may contain 30 to 80 percent water. This popular press article discusses the important topic of risk assessment regarding the use of chemical dispersants in oil spills. Remediation of inland contaminated sites remediation of inland contaminated sites may include incineration of the oil, may include incineration of the oil.
This threeyear project assessed short term effects of commonly transported oils and in situ bioremediation on tropical australian mangrove and salt marsh habitats. Remediation and restoration of an oil contaminated wetland. Apr 16, 2012 this popular press article discusses the important topic of risk assessment regarding the use of chemical dispersants in oil spills. Oil spill eater ii ose biological enzyme for oil spill. A free powerpoint ppt presentation displayed as a flash slide show on id. This report focuses on the challenges of cleaning up oil spills in the arctic, and considers how those challenges may be addressed during all phases of oil and gas. These hydrocarbon degraders comprise less than one percent of the bacterial community in unpolluted environments, but generally increase to. In order to clean up contaminated soil and water in the most effective way possible, we harness the power of oil eating microbes in our various products. May 04, 2018 one successful example of applying bioremediation in largescale cleanup is the mumbai oil spill of 2010, when oilzapper. Bioremediation of soils saturated with spilled crude oil. Bioremediation of crude oil spills and its effect on. This technology did not live up to its initial promise. Prince bioremediation is a potentially important option for dealing with marine oil spills. The success of seeding oil spills with microbial preparations is ambiguous.
Aug 15, 2011 in conclusion, the fate of all oil spills will depend upon a unique set of circumstances that will govern risk and impacts, including the volume of oil spilled, the chemical nature of the oil, and the ecosystems with their specific environmental conditions impacted by the spilled oil. Consideration should be given to seeding oil spills with hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria. Oil spills oil spills occur frequently throughout the world. Some of these methods, like in situ burning or the use of dispersal agents, do a lot of harm themselves. I have always wanted to blog about oil spills though and here you go. The microbes went to work with no human intervention, showing that intrinsic bioremediation can be effective for containing spills of petroleum products. In many cases, bioremediation is less expensive and more sustainable than other remediation alternatives. Rex specialists are trained to work with oil and pipeline. Between 16 and 18% of the 173 g in each heap has been lost. Dec 14, 2016 bioremediation of oil spills submitted by anchal garg environment science 2016 slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
Comparative bioremediation of soils contaminated with. Because they have toxic properties and produce harmful physical effects, spills of nonpetroleum oils also pose threats to public health and the. Bioremediation of diesel oil contaminated soil and water. Research, as well as actual applications to marine oil spills, has shown that bioremediation has many advantages and great potential for many different oil spill cases, however there are also disadvantages, making bioremediation not the best method of cleanup for all marine oil spills. Some defining features of preparedness development. Congress, office of technology assessment,bioremediation for marine oil spills background paper, otabpo70 washington, dc.
Oil spills threaten the health of both human lifestyle and environmental ecosystems. The oil spill cleanup and recovery techniques are challenging and usually involve complex mechanical, chemical, and biological methods. Unrefined crude oil accounts for majority of oil spills because this is the principle cargo of supertankers which hold up to 84 million gallons of crude oil. These breakthroughs could save our oceans from harmful oil spills. Jul 24, 2016 oil spills threaten the health of both human lifestyle and environmental ecosystems. Bioremediation is any process that uses decomposers and green plants, or their enzymes, to improve the condition of contaminated environments.
Changes in crude oil production and distribution have increased the incidence of oil spills throughout the world. Bacteria and bioremediation of marine oil spills journal. In the last 50 years, there have been at least 44 such oil spills of more than 10,000 barrels in. The devastating environmental impacts of the exxon valdez spill in 1989 and its media notoriety made it a frequent comparison to the bp deepwater horizon spill in the popular press in 2010, even though the nature of the two spills and the environments impacted were vastly different. Nanotechnologybased solutions for oil spills nanowerk spotlight the recent oil spill in the gulf of mexico is widely acknowledged to be among the worst ocean oil spills in world history. Hydrocarbon oil spill cleanup and remediation in the niger. Usa today reported in 2010 that the number of spills in the us has more than quadrupled over the previous decade.
Specific bacteria can be used to bioremediate specific contaminants, such as hydrocarbons, which are present in oil and gasoline. The oil removal values in the oil saturated and diluted desert soil samples are presented in table 1. Bioremediation is considered one of the most sustainable cleanup techniques but the potential has not been fully exploited in the field because it is too slow to meet the immediate demands of the environment. Fortunately, unlike higher organisms that are adversely impacted by oil spills, microorganisms are able to. Can plants be used to clean up soils contaminated by crude. Bioremediation as a tool for resiliency in oil spills abstract with an increase in boating, offshore drilling, and transportation of oil, coastal communities are in need of a plan to clean up waterways in the event of an offshore oil spill. Use of dispersants chemicals that disperse the oil into the water column, so that much less stays at the surface most effective when used within an hour or two of the spill can affect marine organisms like deep water corals and seagrass can also cause temporary accumulation of oil by sub tidal seafood. Importance of bioremediation and its future prospects. Shirshov institute of oceanology, russian academy of sciences, moscow, russia, email.
Bioremediation for marine oil spills 7 action, becomes entrained with the insoluble components of oil. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Jan 03, 2017 however, oil spill bioremediation also suffers from another limiting factor, in the form of complex chemical nature of the oil, which results in varying susceptibility to microbial attack. Oil spill response methods booms and skimmers bioremediation by oil eating bacteria edvokit 956 1. The devastating effects on marine life from the exxon valdez spill in alaska and the spills during the gulf war due to destruction of oil reservoirs are well documented. What are two common methods used in bioremediation of oil spills. These oil spills can cause severe damage to sea and shoreline organisms whitfield, 2003. A 1994 manual describing how to deploy booms, barriers, and other.
Oil degrading microorganisms are indigenous to the worlds oceans, but environmental constraints limit their activity and so a bioremediation strategy must be tailored to local conditions. Spill cleanup of fuel contaminated soils after roadway. Potential environmental impacts of oil spills in greenland nationalt. Successful bioremediation of a major marine oil spill has been achieved based upon addition of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Hydrophobic nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are the potential solution for the treatment of oil spills. Bioremediation of oilspilled sites through seeding of. Role of microbes in oil spills remediation and degradation of.
Chapter five discusses in greater detail how oil spills impact wildlife. However, there were species of psychrophilic bacteria present that were highly efficient in metabolizing hydrocarbons. Research into the bioremediation of oil spills in tropical australia with particular emphasis on oiled mangrove and salt marsh habitats. Microbial hydrocarbon degradationbioremediation of oil spills. Hey guys, first of all, i apologize for the long absence. Details of the efficacy and toxicity tests oil spill treatment products must have before being approved for use in uk waters. In 2001 the western operations of the shell petroleum development company spdc recorded a total of 115 incidences of oil spill in which 5,187. These spills may occur as a result of a physical harm to oil tankers that the ships carry or the damage to huge offshore oil platforms. Understanding oil spills and oil spill response pdf epa. Route 117 in warwick, ma was closed after truck carrying heating oil flipped over morning of 20th march, 2007 and leaked the fuel into the road.
Oil spills often cause destructive effects on aquatic and land ecosystems. This is due to the fact that oil typically consists of different quantities of saturates, aromatics, asphaltenes and resins. Petroleum biodegradation and oil spill bioremediation. Pdf the accident of the prestige oil tanker in 2002 contaminated approximately 900. Oil spill bioremediation lab university of notre dame. Because of the patchiness of oil, an internally conserved compound, hopane, was critical for demonstrating the efficacy of. On march 24, 1989 the oil tanker exxon valdez ran aground on bligh reef in prince william sound, ak, spilling an estimated 11 million gallons 42 million liters of crude oil that spread as a surface slick1 figure. Bioremediation methods for oil spills pace university. Chapter 3, alternative countermeasures for oil spills us. Among the different techniques to enhance natural biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms. Bioremediation is one technique that may be useful to remove.
View photographs of a variety of ways first responders contain and clean up oil spills. Bioremediation of petroleum oil contaminated soil and water. Web alert bioremediation of oil spills an annotated selection of world wide web sites relevant to the topics in microbial biotechnology microbes cleaning up deepwater. As the demand for liquid petroleum increases, the need for reliable and efficient oil spill cleanup techniques is inevitable. Bacteria can be used to clean up oil spills in the ocean through bioremediation. Selection guide for oil spill applied technologies.
Microbial hydrocarbon degradationbioremediation of oil. Bioremediation of petroleum in the sea is limited by n and p availability. Usually, mechanical removal of free oil is utilized as an effective. Oil spills are harmful for marine life photo credit noaa and georgia department of natural resources, ccby 2. View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view. Bioremediation in oil spill response an information update on the use of bioremediation. Oil seepage into the ground may contaminate the water bodies and ground water pollution. Ose ii is a biological enzyme that converts the waste into a na. Some of these methods, like in situ burning or the use of dispersal agents. Alternative countermeasures 3 introduction several methods exist for containing and cleaning up oil spills in aquatic envir onments.
243 1556 761 245 1596 609 539 1655 831 1279 1546 213 991 330 1115 311 1095 1373 770 1115 986 904 633 966 963 780 826 186 990 34 1227 953 54 156 1173