Microbial community dynamics and evaluation of bioremediation strategies in oil-impacted salt marsh sediment microcosms

Abstract

Microbial community dynamics in wetlands microcosms emended with commercial products (surfactant, a biological agent, and nutrients) designed to enhance bioremediation was followed for 3 months. The effectiveness of enhanced degradation was assessed by determining residual concentrations of Individual petroleum hydrocarbons by GC/MS. The size and composition of the sediment microbial community was assessed using a variety of indices, including bacterial plate counts, MPNs, and DNA hybridizations with domain- and group-specific oligonucleotide probes. The addition of inorganic nutrients was the most effective treatment for the enhancement of oil degradation, resulting in marked degradation of petroleum alkanes and a lesser extent of degradation of aromatic oil constituents. The enhanced degradation was associated with increases in the amount of extractable microbial DNA and Streptomyces in the sediment, although not with increased viable counts (plate counts, MPN). Bacteria introduced with one of the proprietary products were still detected in the microcosms after 3 months, but were not a major quantitative constituent of the community. The biological product enhanced oil degradation relative to the control, but to a lesser extent than the nutrient additions alone. In contrast, application of the surfactant to the oil-impacted sediment decreased oil degradation.