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Emulating Deep-Sea Bioremediation: Oil Plume Degradation by Undisturbed Deep-Sea Microbial Communities Using a High-Pressure Sampling and Experimentation System

Author

Listed:
  • Eleftheria Antoniou

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Efsevia Fragkou

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Georgia Charalampous

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Dimitris Marinakis

    (School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Nicolas Kalogerakis

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    Institute of GeoEnergy, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Evangelia Gontikaki

    (School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    Institute of GeoEnergy, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 73100 Chania, Greece)

Abstract

Hydrocarbon biodegradation rates in the deep-sea have been largely determined under atmospheric pressure, which may lead to non-representative results. In this work, we aim to study the response of deep-sea microbial communities of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) to oil contamination at in situ environmental conditions and provide representative biodegradation rates. Seawater from a 600 to 1000 m depth was collected using a high-pressure (HP) sampling device equipped with a unidirectional check-valve, without depressurization upon retrieval. The sample was then passed into a HP-reactor via a piston pump without pressure disruption and used for a time-series oil biodegradation experiment at plume concentrations, with and without dispersant application, at 10 MPa and 14 °C. The experimental results demonstrated a high capacity of indigenous microbial communities in the deep EMS for alkane degradation regardless of dispersant application (>70%), while PAHs were highly degraded when oil was dispersed (>90%) and presented very low half-lives (19.4 to 2.2 days), compared to published data. To our knowledge, this is the first emulation study of deep-sea bioremediation using undisturbed deep-sea microbial communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Eleftheria Antoniou & Efsevia Fragkou & Georgia Charalampous & Dimitris Marinakis & Nicolas Kalogerakis & Evangelia Gontikaki, 2022. "Emulating Deep-Sea Bioremediation: Oil Plume Degradation by Undisturbed Deep-Sea Microbial Communities Using a High-Pressure Sampling and Experimentation System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:13:p:4525-:d:844090
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    1. Georgia Charalampous & Efsevia Fragkou & Konstantinos A. Kormas & Alexandre B. De Menezes & Paraskevi N. Polymenakou & Nikos Pasadakis & Nicolas Kalogerakis & Eleftheria Antoniou & Evangelia Gontikaki, 2021. "Comparison of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Consortia from Surface and Deep Waters of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Characterization and Degradation Potential," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
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