Microbial degradation of hydrocarbons in the environment.

Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons: an environmental perspective.

Bioavailability, accumulation and effects of heavy metals in sediments with special reference to United Kingdom estuaries: a review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) consist of three or more fused benzene rings in linear, angular, or cluster arrangements. Substitution of carbon in the benzene ring with nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, or other elements creates heterocyclic aromatic compounds (Blumer 1976). Excluding diphenyl types there are some 70 possible isomers of 4-6 fused rings. Additionally these isomers may be substituted by a variety of substituents (Erskine and Whitehead 1975). The aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocycles, unsubstituted and substituted, are referred to alternatively as polynuclear aromatics (PNAs), polycyclic aromatic compounds (PCAs), and polycyclic organic matter (POM) (NAS 1972, U.S. EPA 1975 b).

Fate of polynuclear aromatic compounds (PNAs) in soil-plant systems

Much of the early work on the microbial utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons, conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, was done with the goal of using hydrocarbons as substrates for producing microbial biomass (Shennan, 1984; Champagnat, 1964; Champagnat and Llewelyn, 1962; Cooney et al., 1980; Ballerini, 1978). Petroleum was viewed as an inexpensive carbon source and single cell protein (microbial biomass) was considered as a possible solution to the perceived impending world food shortage for the predicted global population explosion. Applied studies focused on optimizing microbial growth on low- to middle-molecular-weight hydrocarbons. These studies developed fermentor designs for large-scale single cell protein production with agitation and aeration systems that permitted high rates of microbial growth on soluble and highly emulsified hydrocarbon substrates. High-speed impellers (>800 rpm) were used to mix the hydrocarbon substrates and high rates of forced aeration with baffles within the fermentors were used to supply the molecular oxygen necessary for the microbial utilization of hydrocarbons (Hatch, 1975; Prokop and Sobotka, 1975). Optimized microbial growth in these fermentors consumes as much as 100,000 g hydrocarbon/m3 per day (Kanazawa, 1975).

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Oil Spill Bioremediation

Marine Pollution and Sea Life

Impact of oil pollution on seabirds

The ecological effects of oil pollution on littoral communities

Attempts were made to clean and rehabilitate nearly 8000 oiled birds (mainly auks) following the wreck of the Torrey Canyon. This was an almost total failure and a Research Unit on the Rehabilitation of Oiled Seabirds was established in Newcastle upon Tyne to devise effective treatment methods. This has involved a study of the mechanism of water-repellency in seabird plumage and led to the development of cheap, effective cleaning methods and full recovery of the birds within 2–3 wk of capture. These methods have been used successfully on small numbers of birds by amateurs and also operationally on larger numbers by the Research Unit. There have been only few ringing returns but at least some of the cleaned birds became reintegrated with the breeding populations after release. Even with appropriate organization and facilities it is doubtful whether the rescue and treatment of oiled birds can make a material contribution to seabird conservation, but there is often strong public pressure for the treatment of...

R.B. Clark

Papers

Marine Pollution and Sea Life

Impact of oil pollution on seabirds

The ecological effects of oil pollution on littoral communities

Oiled Seabird Rescue and Conservation

Feather-wetting in cleaned birds