| MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES | ||||||
| MMS OCS Region: | Alaska | |||||
| Title: | Petroleum Hydrocarbon Degrading Communities in Beaufort Sea Sediments | |||||
| Total Cost: |
$148,000 |
Period of Performance: | FY 1999-2004 | |||
| Conducting Organization: |
CMI, UAF |
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| MMS Contact: | ||||||
| Description: | ||||||
| Background High latitude marine oil spills have demonstrated that the composition of microbial communities affects rates of hydrocarbon degradation. Prior MMS research in the Beaufort Sea in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s indicated that indigenous microbes in this environment were poorly suited for rapid hydrocarbon destruction. Little research has been performed on Beaufort hydrocarbon degraders since then and little is known about whether sediment microbes have acclimated to hydrocarbon inputs in the last 20 years. |
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| Objectives 1. Evaluate the current degree of microbial community acclimation to hydrocarbons from Barrow to the Prudhoe Bay/Northstar/Liberty area. 2. Evaluate the effects of fine-grained Beaufort Sea sediments on rates of community acclimation. 3. Evaluate how Beaufort Sea sediments might affect bioavailability of petroleum to communities of acclimated microbes. |
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| Methods Surface sediments will be collected and the following measured: 1. Sediment microbial enumeration assays for populations of specific metabolic types. 2. Sediment macronutrient levels. 3. Most-probable number assays (MPN’s) for crude oil emulsifiers and marine heterotrophs. 4. MPN’s for specific substrates (e.g., PAH and alkane metabolizing populations). 5. Direct counts of sediment microbes. 6. Microbial activity from enumeration assays and radiocarbon-labeled hydrocarbon assays. 7. Gas chromatography analyses for petroleum hydrocarbon in samples with higher microbial numbers/activity. |
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| Importance to MMS This study will be useful to MMS in possible cumulative effects monitoring of upcoming offshore development along the Beaufort Sea coast. The data from the study will be comparable to the earlier MMS pre-development studies. |
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| Current Status: | ||||||
| Final Report Due: | ||||||
| Publications: | ||||||
| Affiliated WWW Sites: | ||||||
| Revised date: |
April 2004 |
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| ESPIS |
ESPIS - All completed
ESP Studies: |
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