Microbial dynamics in oil-impacted Prairie soil

A remote site in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve (Osage County, OK) was contaminated with crude oil by a pipeline break in 1992. In 1996, the contaminated soil was bioremediated by blending with uncontaminated soil, prairie hay, buffalo manure, and commercial fertilizers, and spreading in a shallow l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 1999, Vol.77-79 (1-3), p.421-434
Main Authors: DUNCAN, K. E, KOLHATKAR, R, SUBRAMANIAM, G, NARASIMHAN, R, JENNINGS, E, HETTENBACH, S, BROWN, A, MCCOMAS, C, POTTER, W, SUBLETTE, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerobic conditions
Anaerobic bacteria
Biodegradation of pollutants
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Crude oil
Environment and pollution
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrocarbons
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Methanogenesis
Microbial activity
Microbiology
Mineralization
Oil pollution
Petroleum hydrocarbons
Prairies
Seasons
Soil contamination
Soil gases
Studies
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Summary:A remote site in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve (Osage County, OK) was contaminated with crude oil by a pipeline break in 1992. In 1996, the contaminated soil was bioremediated by blending with uncontaminated soil, prairie hay, buffalo manure, and commercial fertilizers, and spreading in a shallow layer over uncontaminated soil to create a landfarm. The landfarm was monitored for two years for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, soil gases indicative of microbial activity, and for changes in the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). Levels of hydrocarbon degraders and soil gas indicators of aerobic degradation were stimulated in the landfarm during the first warm season relative to uncontaminated prairie soil. However, these same indicators were less conclusive during the second warm season, indicating depletion of the more easily degradable hydrocarbons, although the landfarm still contained 6,800 mg/kg TPH on the average at the beginning of the second warm season. Methane formation and methanogen counts were clearly stimulated in the first warm season relative to uncontaminated prairie soil, indicating that methanogenesis plays an important role in the mineralization of hydrocarbons even in these shallow soils.
ISSN:0273-2289
1559-0291
0273-2289
DOI:10.1385/abab:78:1-3:421