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Feng J, Xie Y, Tang L, Li P, Zhou Z, Zhang S, Yang Z, Wang Y. Hydrate formation significantly decreases the uplifting rate of methane bubble from the seafloor to the upper water column. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:3149-3153. [PMID: 37758619 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jingchun Feng
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Yan Xie
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Li Tang
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Pian Li
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Zhenwu Zhou
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Si Zhang
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
| | - Zhifeng Yang
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Research Centre of Ecology & Environment for Coastal Area and Deep Sea, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboraroty (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
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Beyer J, Trannum HC, Bakke T, Hodson PV, Collier TK. Environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: A review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 110:28-51. [PMID: 27301686 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill constituted an ecosystem-level injury in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Much oil spread at 1100-1300m depth, contaminating and affecting deepwater habitats. Factors such as oil-biodegradation, ocean currents and response measures (dispersants, burning) reduced coastal oiling. Still, >2100km of shoreline and many coastal habitats were affected. Research demonstrates that oiling caused a wide range of biological effects, although worst-case impact scenarios did not materialize. Biomarkers in individual organisms were more informative about oiling stress than population and community indices. Salt marshes and seabird populations were hard hit, but were also quite resilient to oiling effects. Monitoring demonstrated little contamination of seafood. Certain impacts are still understudied, such as effects on seagrass communities. Concerns of long-term impacts remain for large fish species, deep-sea corals, sea turtles and cetaceans. These species and their habitats should continue to receive attention (monitoring and research) for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonny Beyer
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hilde C Trannum
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torgeir Bakke
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter V Hodson
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Tracy K Collier
- Delta Independent Science Board, 980 Ninth Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
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Microbial Community Composition, Functions, and Activities in the Gulf of Mexico 1 Year after the Deepwater Horizon Accident. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:5855-66. [PMID: 26092461 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01470-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have assessed the effects of the released oil on microbes, either during or immediately after the Deepwater Horizon accident. However, little is known about the potential longer-term persistent effects on microbial communities and their functions. In this study, one water column station near the wellhead (3.78 km southwest of the wellhead), one water column reference station outside the affected area (37.77 km southeast of the wellhead), and deep-sea sediments near the wellhead (3.66 km southeast of the wellhead) were sampled 1 year after the capping of the well. In order to analyze microbial community composition, function, and activity, we used metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and mineralization assays. Mineralization of hexadecane was significantly higher at the wellhead station at a depth of ∼1,200 m than at the reference station. Community composition based on taxonomical or functional data showed that the samples taken at a depth of ∼1,200 m were significantly more dissimilar between the stations than at other depths (surface, 100 m, 750 m, and >1,500 m). Both Bacteria and Archaea showed reduced activity at depths of ∼1,200 m when the wellhead station was compared to the reference station, and their activity was significantly higher in surficial sediments than in 10-cm sediments. Surficial sediments also harbored significantly different active genera than did 5- and 10-cm sediments. For the remaining microbial parameters assessed, no significant differences could be observed between the wellhead and reference stations and between surface and 5- to 10-cm-deep sediments.
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Kimes NE, Callaghan AV, Suflita JM, Morris PJ. Microbial transformation of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill-past, present, and future perspectives. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:603. [PMID: 25477866 PMCID: PMC4235408 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon blowout, which occurred on April 20, 2010, resulted in an unprecedented oil spill. Despite a complex effort to cap the well, oil and gas spewed from the site until July 15, 2010. Although a large proportion of the hydrocarbons was depleted via natural processes and human intervention, a substantial portion of the oil remained unaccounted for and impacted multiple ecosystems throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The depth, duration and magnitude of this spill were unique, raising many questions and concerns regarding the fate of the hydrocarbons released. One major question was whether or not microbial communities would be capable of metabolizing the hydrocarbons, and if so, by what mechanisms and to what extent? In this review, we summarize the microbial response to the oil spill as described by studies performed during the past four years, providing an overview of the different responses associated with the water column, surface waters, deep-sea sediments, and coastal sands/sediments. Collectively, these studies provide evidence that the microbial response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was rapid and robust, displaying common attenuation mechanisms optimized for low molecular weight aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. In contrast, the lack of evidence for the attenuation of more recalcitrant hydrocarbon components suggests that future work should focus on both the environmental impact and metabolic fate of recalcitrant compounds, such as oxygenated oil components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikole E. Kimes
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, División de Microbiología, Universidad Miguel HernándezSan Juan, Spain
| | - Amy V. Callaghan
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of OklahomaNorman, OK, USA
| | - Joseph M. Suflita
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of OklahomaNorman, OK, USA
| | - Pamela J. Morris
- Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of South CarolinaGeorgetown, SC, USA
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Joye SB, Teske AP, Kostka JE. Microbial Dynamics Following the Macondo Oil Well Blowout across Gulf of Mexico Environments. Bioscience 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biu121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Gutierrez T, Aitken MD. Role of methylotrophs in the degradation of hydrocarbons during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ISME JOURNAL 2014; 8:2543-5. [PMID: 24865772 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The role of methylotrophic bacteria in the fate of the oil and gas released into the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has been controversial, particularly in relation to whether organisms such as Methylophaga had contributed to the consumption of methane. Whereas methanotrophy remains unqualified in these organisms, recent work by our group using DNA-based stable-isotope probing coupled with cultivation-based methods has uncovered hydrocarbon-degrading Methylophaga. Recent findings have also shown that methylotrophs, including Methylophaga, were in a heightened state of metabolic activity within oil plume waters during the active phase of the spill. Taken collectively, these findings suggest that members of this group may have participated in the degradation of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons in plume waters. The discovery of hydrocarbon-degrading Methylophaga also highlights the importance of considering these organisms in playing a role to the fate of oil hydrocarbons at oil-impacted sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Gutierrez
- 1] School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK [2] Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael D Aitken
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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BOND DAVID. GOVERNING DISASTER: The Political Life of the Environment during the BP Oil Spill. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/cuan.12033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Dubinsky EA, Conrad ME, Chakraborty R, Bill M, Borglin SE, Hollibaugh JT, Mason OU, M Piceno Y, Reid FC, Stringfellow WT, Tom LM, Hazen TC, Andersen GL. Succession of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the aftermath of the deepwater horizon oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:10860-7. [PMID: 23937111 DOI: 10.1021/es401676y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill produced large subsurface plumes of dispersed oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico that stimulated growth of psychrophilic, hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. We tracked succession of plume bacteria before, during and after the 83-day spill to determine the microbial response and biodegradation potential throughout the incident. Dominant bacteria shifted substantially over time and were dependent on relative quantities of different hydrocarbon fractions. Unmitigated flow from the wellhead early in the spill resulted in the highest proportions of n-alkanes and cycloalkanes at depth and corresponded with dominance by Oceanospirillaceae and Pseudomonas. Once partial capture of oil and gas began 43 days into the spill, petroleum hydrocarbons decreased, the fraction of aromatic hydrocarbons increased, and Colwellia, Cycloclasticus, and Pseudoalteromonas increased in dominance. Enrichment of Methylomonas coincided with positive shifts in the δ(13)C values of methane in the plume and indicated significant methane oxidation occurred earlier than previously reported. Anomalous oxygen depressions persisted at plume depths for over six weeks after well shut-in and were likely caused by common marine heterotrophs associated with degradation of high-molecular-weight organic matter, including Methylophaga. Multiple hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria operated simultaneously throughout the spill, but their relative importance was controlled by changes in hydrocarbon supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Dubinsky
- Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , 1 Cyclotron Rd MS 70A-3317, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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Paris CB, Hénaff ML, Aman ZM, Subramaniam A, Helgers J, Wang DP, Kourafalou VH, Srinivasan A. Evolution of the Macondo well blowout: simulating the effects of the circulation and synthetic dispersants on the subsea oil transport. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:13293-302. [PMID: 23167517 DOI: 10.1021/es303197h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
During the Deepwater Horizon incident, crude oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico from 1522 m underwater. In an effort to prevent the oil from rising to the surface, synthetic dispersants were applied at the wellhead. However, uncertainties in the formation of oil droplets and difficulties in measuring their size in the water column, complicated further assessment of the potential effect of the dispersant on the subsea-to-surface oil partition. We adapted a coupled hydrodynamic and stochastic buoyant particle-tracking model to the transport and fate of hydrocarbon fractions and simulated the far-field transport of the oil from the intrusion depth. The evaluated model represented a baseline for numerical experiments where we varied the distributions of particle sizes and thus oil mass. The experiments allowed to quantify the relative effects of chemical dispersion, vertical currents, and inertial buoyancy motion on oil rise velocities. We present a plausible model scenario, where some oil is trapped at depth through shear emulsification due to the particular conditions of the Macondo blowout. Assuming effective mixing of the synthetic dispersants at the wellhead, the model indicates that the submerged oil mass is shifted deeper, decreasing only marginally the amount of oil surfacing. In this scenario, the oil rises slowly to the surface or stays immersed. This suggests that other mechanisms may have contributed to the rapid surfacing of oil-gas mixture observed initially. The study also reveals local topographic and hydrodynamic processes that influence the oil transport in eddies and multiple layers. This numerical approach provides novel insights on oil transport mechanisms from deep blowouts and on gauging the subsea use of synthetic dispersant in mitigating coastal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire B Paris
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149-1098, USA.
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Dynamic autoinoculation and the microbial ecology of a deep water hydrocarbon irruption. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:20286-91. [PMID: 22233808 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1108820109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The irruption of gas and oil into the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon event fed a deep sea bacterial bloom that consumed hydrocarbons in the affected waters, formed a regional oxygen anomaly, and altered the microbiology of the region. In this work, we develop a coupled physical-metabolic model to assess the impact of mixing processes on these deep ocean bacterial communities and their capacity for hydrocarbon and oxygen use. We find that observed biodegradation patterns are well-described by exponential growth of bacteria from seed populations present at low abundance and that current oscillation and mixing processes played a critical role in distributing hydrocarbons and associated bacterial blooms within the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Mixing processes also accelerated hydrocarbon degradation through an autoinoculation effect, where water masses, in which the hydrocarbon irruption had caused blooms, later returned to the spill site with hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria persisting at elevated abundance. Interestingly, although the initial irruption of hydrocarbons fed successive blooms of different bacterial types, subsequent irruptions promoted consistency in the structure of the bacterial community. These results highlight an impact of mixing and circulation processes on biodegradation activity of bacteria during the Deepwater Horizon event and suggest an important role for mixing processes in the microbial ecology of deep ocean environments.
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Kessler JD, Valentine DL, Redmond MC, Du M. Response to Comment on "A Persistent Oxygen Anomaly Reveals the Fate of Spilled Methane in the Deep Gulf of Mexico". Science 2011. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1203428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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