Oil biodegradation. Water droplets in oil are microhabitats for microbial life.
Science
; 345(6197): 673-6, 2014 Aug 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25104386
Anaerobic microbial degradation of hydrocarbons, typically occurring at the oil-water transition zone, influences the quality of oil reservoirs. In Pitch Lake, Trinidad and Tobago--the world's largest asphalt lake--we found that microorganisms are metabolically active in minuscule water droplets (1 to 3 microliters) entrapped in oil. Pyrotag sequencing of individual droplet microbiomes revealed complex methanogenic microbial communities actively degrading the oil into a diverse range of metabolites, as shown by nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. High salinity and water-stable isotopes of the droplets indicate a deep subsurface origin. The 13.5% water content and the large surface area of the droplets represent an underestimated potential for biodegradation of oil away from the oil-water transition zone.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Bactérias
/
Microbiologia da Água
/
Petróleo
/
Lagos
/
Archaea
/
Microbiota
País/Região como assunto:
Caribe ingles
/
Trinidad y tobago
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha
País de publicação:
Estados Unidos