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Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mahmoudi, N; Porter, TM; Zimmerman, AR; Fulthorpe, RR; Kasozi, GN; Silliman, BR; Slater, GF
Published in: Environmental science & technology
January 2013

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to the severe contamination of coastal environments in the Gulf of Mexico. A previous study detailed coastal saltmarsh erosion and recovery in a number of oil-impacted and nonimpacted reference sites in Barataria Bay, Louisiana over the first 18 months after the spill. Concentrations of alkanes and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at oil-impacted sites significantly decreased over this time period. Here, a combination of DNA, lipid, and isotopic approaches confirm that microbial biodegradation was contributing to the observed petroleum mass loss. Natural abundance (14)C analysis of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) reveals that petroleum-derived carbon was a primary carbon source for microbial communities at impacted sites several months following oil intrusion when the highest concentrations of oil were present. Also at this time, microbial community analysis suggests that community structure of all three domains has shifted with the intrusion of oil. These results suggest that Gulf of Mexico marsh sediments have considerable biodegradation potential and that natural attenuation is playing a role in impacted sites.

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Published In

Environmental science & technology

DOI

EISSN

1520-5851

ISSN

0013-936X

Publication Date

January 2013

Volume

47

Issue

23

Start / End Page

13303 / 13312

Related Subject Headings

  • Wetlands
  • Species Specificity
  • Petroleum Pollution
  • Petroleum
  • Microbiota
  • Louisiana
  • History, 21st Century
  • Geologic Sediments
  • Fatty Acids
  • Environmental Sciences
 

Citation

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Mahmoudi, N., Porter, T. M., Zimmerman, A. R., Fulthorpe, R. R., Kasozi, G. N., Silliman, B. R., & Slater, G. F. (2013). Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(23), 13303–13312. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4036072
Mahmoudi, Nagissa, Teresita M. Porter, Andrew R. Zimmerman, Roberta R. Fulthorpe, Gabriel N. Kasozi, Brian R. Silliman, and Greg F. Slater. “Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments.Environmental Science & Technology 47, no. 23 (January 2013): 13303–12. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4036072.
Mahmoudi N, Porter TM, Zimmerman AR, Fulthorpe RR, Kasozi GN, Silliman BR, et al. Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments. Environmental science & technology. 2013 Jan;47(23):13303–12.
Mahmoudi, Nagissa, et al. “Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments.Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 47, no. 23, Jan. 2013, pp. 13303–12. Epmc, doi:10.1021/es4036072.
Mahmoudi N, Porter TM, Zimmerman AR, Fulthorpe RR, Kasozi GN, Silliman BR, Slater GF. Rapid degradation of Deepwater Horizon spilled oil by indigenous microbial communities in Louisiana saltmarsh sediments. Environmental science & technology. 2013 Jan;47(23):13303–13312.
Journal cover image

Published In

Environmental science & technology

DOI

EISSN

1520-5851

ISSN

0013-936X

Publication Date

January 2013

Volume

47

Issue

23

Start / End Page

13303 / 13312

Related Subject Headings

  • Wetlands
  • Species Specificity
  • Petroleum Pollution
  • Petroleum
  • Microbiota
  • Louisiana
  • History, 21st Century
  • Geologic Sediments
  • Fatty Acids
  • Environmental Sciences