This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by MacNaughton, S. J.
Right arrow Articles by White, D. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by MacNaughton, S. J.
Right arrow Articles by White, D. C.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by MacNaughton, S. J.
Right arrow Articles by White, D. C.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1999, p. 3566-3574, Vol. 65, No. 8
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Microbial Population Changes during Bioremediation of an Experimental Oil Spill

Sarah J. MacNaughton,1 John R. Stephen,1 Albert D. Venosa,2,* Gregory A. Davis,3 Yun-Juan Chang,1 and David C. White1,4

Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37932-25751; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 452682; Microbial Insights Inc., Rockford, Tennessee 37853-30443; and Biological Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 378314

Received 1 March 1999/Accepted 19 May 1999

Three crude oil bioremediation techniques were applied in a randomized block field experiment simulating a coastal oil spill. Four treatments (no oil control, oil alone, oil plus nutrients, and oil plus nutrients plus an indigenous inoculum) were applied. In situ microbial community structures were monitored by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and 16S rDNA PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to (i) identify the bacterial community members responsible for the decontamination of the site and (ii) define an end point for the removal of the hydrocarbon substrate. The results of PLFA analysis demonstrated a community shift in all plots from primarily eukaryotic biomass to gram-negative bacterial biomass with time. PLFA profiles from the oiled plots suggested increased gram-negative biomass and adaptation to metabolic stress compared to unoiled controls. DGGE analysis of untreated control plots revealed a simple, dynamic dominant population structure throughout the experiment. This banding pattern disappeared in all oiled plots, indicating that the structure and diversity of the dominant bacterial community changed substantially. No consistent differences were detected between nutrient-amended and indigenous inoculum-treated plots, but both differed from the oil-only plots. Prominent bands were excised for sequence analysis and indicated that oil treatment encouraged the growth of gram-negative microorganisms within the alpha -proteobacteria and Flexibacter-Cytophaga-Bacteroides phylum. alpha -Proteobacteria were never detected in unoiled controls. PLFA analysis indicated that by week 14 the microbial community structures of the oiled plots were becoming similar to those of the unoiled controls from the same time point, but DGGE analysis suggested that major differences in the bacterial communities remained.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268. Phone: (513) 569-7668. Fax: (513) 569-7105. E-mail: venosa.albert{at}epamail.epa.gov.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1999, p. 3566-3574, Vol. 65, No. 8
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Alonso-Gutierrez, J., Figueras, A., Albaiges, J., Jimenez, N., Vinas, M., Solanas, A. M., Novoa, B. (2009). Bacterial Communities from Shoreline Environments (Costa da Morte, Northwestern Spain) Affected by the Prestige Oil Spill. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 3407-3418 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hilyard, E. J., Jones-Meehan, J. M., Spargo, B. J., Hill, R. T. (2008). Enrichment, Isolation, and Phylogenetic Identification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria from Elizabeth River Sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 1176-1182 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bordenave, S., Goni-Urriza, M. S., Caumette, P., Duran, R. (2007). Effects of Heavy Fuel Oil on the Bacterial Community Structure of a Pristine Microbial Mat. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6089-6097 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Popp, N., Schlomann, M., Mau, M. (2006). Bacterial diversity in the active stage of a bioremediation system for mineral oil hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.. Microbiology 152: 3291-3304 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hamamura, N., Olson, S. H., Ward, D. M., Inskeep, W. P. (2006). Microbial Population Dynamics Associated with Crude-Oil Biodegradation in Diverse Soils. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 6316-6324 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vinas, M., Sabate, J., Espuny, M. J., Solanas, A. M. (2005). Bacterial Community Dynamics and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation during Bioremediation of Heavily Creosote-Contaminated Soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 7008-7018 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Li, H., Zhang, Y., Zhang, C. G., Chen, G. X. (2005). Effect of Petroleum-Containing Wastewater Irrigation on Bacterial Diversities and Enzymatic Activities in a Paddy Soil Irrigation Area. J. Environ. Qual. 34: 1073-1080 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gillan, D. C., Danis, B., Pernet, P., Joly, G., Dubois, P. (2005). Structure of Sediment-Associated Microbial Communities along a Heavy-Metal Contamination Gradient in the Marine Environment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 679-690 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Villanueva, L., Navarrete, A., Urmeneta, J., White, D. C., Guerrero, R. (2004). Combined Phospholipid Biomarker-16S rRNA Gene Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Analysis of Bacterial Diversity and Physiological Status in an Intertidal Microbial Mat. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 6920-6926 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Roling, W. F. M., Milner, M. G., Jones, D. M., Fratepietro, F., Swannell, R. P. J., Daniel, F., Head, I. M. (2004). Bacterial Community Dynamics and Hydrocarbon Degradation during a Field-Scale Evaluation of Bioremediation on a Mudflat Beach Contaminated with Buried Oil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 2603-2613 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Roling, W. F. M., Couto de Brito, I. R., Swannell, R. P. J., Head, I. M. (2004). Response of Archaeal Communities in Beach Sediments to Spilled Oil and Bioremediation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 2614-2620 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kaplan, C. W., Kitts, C. L. (2004). Bacterial Succession in a Petroleum Land Treatment Unit. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1777-1786 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Van Hamme, J. D., Singh, A., Ward, O. P. (2003). Recent Advances in Petroleum Microbiology. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 67: 503-549 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wick, L. Y., Pasche, N., Bernasconi, S. M., Pelz, O., Harms, H. (2003). Characterization of Multiple-Substrate Utilization by Anthracene-Degrading Mycobacterium frederiksbergense LB501T. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 6133-6142 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Margesin, R., Labbe, D., Schinner, F., Greer, C. W., Whyte, L. G. (2003). Characterization of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Microbial Populations in Contaminated and Pristine Alpine Soils. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 3085-3092 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bending, G. D., Lincoln, S. D., Sorensen, S. R., Morgan, J. A. W., Aamand, J., Walker, A. (2003). In-Field Spatial Variability in the Degradation of the Phenyl-Urea Herbicide Isoproturon Is the Result of Interactions between Degradative Sphingomonas spp. and Soil pH. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 827-834 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Roling, W. F. M., Milner, M. G., Jones, D. M., Lee, K., Daniel, F., Swannell, R. J. P., Head, I. M. (2002). Robust Hydrocarbon Degradation and Dynamics of Bacterial Communities during Nutrient-Enhanced Oil Spill Bioremediation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 5537-5548 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kasai, Y., Kishira, H., Harayama, S. (2002). Bacteria Belonging to the Genus Cycloclasticus Play a Primary Role in the Degradation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons Released in a Marine Environment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 5625-5633 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Abed, R. M. M., Safi, N. M. D., Koster, J., de Beer, D., El-Nahhal, Y., Rullkotter, J., Garcia-Pichel, F. (2002). Microbial Diversity of a Heavily Polluted Microbial Mat and Its Community Changes following Degradation of Petroleum Compounds. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 1674-1683 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Eriksson, M., Ka, J.-O., Mohn, W. W. (2001). Effects of Low Temperature and Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Arctic Tundra Soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 5107-5112 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ibekwe, A. M., Papiernik, S. K., Gan, J., Yates, S. R., Yang, C.-H., Crowley, D. E. (2001). Impact of Fumigants on Soil Microbial Communities. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 3245-3257 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cheung, P.-Y., Kinkle, B. K. (2001). Mycobacterium Diversity and Pyrene Mineralization in Petroleum-Contaminated Soils. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 2222-2229 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mishra, S., Jyot, J., Kuhad, R. C., Lal, B. (2001). Evaluation of Inoculum Addition To Stimulate In Situ Bioremediation of Oily-Sludge-Contaminated Soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 1675-1681 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Duarte, G. F., Rosado, A. S., Seldin, L., de Araujo, W., van Elsas, J. D. (2001). Analysis of Bacterial Community Structure in Sulfurous-Oil-Containing Soils and Detection of Species Carrying Dibenzothiophene Desulfurization (dsz) Genes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 1052-1062 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Greene, E. A., Kay, J. G., Jaber, K., Stehmeier, L. G., Voordouw, G. (2000). Composition of Soil Microbial Communities Enriched on a Mixture of Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 5282-5289 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kanaly, R. A., Bartha, R., Watanabe, K., Harayama, S. (2000). Rapid Mineralization of Benzo[a]pyrene by a Microbial Consortium Growing on Diesel Fuel. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 4205-4211 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Petsch, S. T., Eglinton, T. I., Edwards, K. J. (2001). 14C-Dead Living Biomass: Evidence for Microbial Assimilation of Ancient Organic Carbon During Shale Weathering. Science 292: 1127-1131 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»