Hillarysworld

Today is a day with some really good news on many fronts... or at least it feels like so far. :)

Read @ PurdueExponent.org

New microbe discovered eating oil in Gulf spill

By Associated Press

Publication Date: 08/25/2010

WASHINGTON – A newly discovered type of oil-eating microbe is suddenly flourishing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists discovered the new microbe while studying the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf following the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.

And the microbe works without significantly depleting oxygen in the water, researchers led by Terry Hazen at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., reported Tuesday in the online journal Sciencexpress. (Emphasis added here)

“Our findings, which provide the first data ever on microbial activity from a deepwater dispersed oil plume, suggest” a great potential for bacteria to help dispose of oil plumes in the deep-sea, Hazen said in a statement.

Environmentalists have raised concerns about the giant oil spill and the underwater plume of dispersed oil, particularly its potential effects on sea life. A report just last week described a 22-mile long underwater mist of tiny oil droplets.

[snip]

Their findings are based on more than 200 samples collected from 17 deepwater sites between May 25 and June 2. They found that the dominant microbe in the oil plume is a new species, closely related to members of Oceanospirillales.

This microbe thrives in cold water, with temperatures in the deep recorded at 5 degrees Celsius (41 Fahrenheit).

Hazen suggested that the bacteria may have adapted over time due to periodic leaks and natural seeps of oil in the Gulf.

Scientists also had been concerned that oil-eating activity by microbes would consume large amounts of oxygen in the water, creating a “dead zone” dangerous to other life. But the new study found that oxygen saturation outside the oil plume was 67-percent while within the plume it was 59-percent. (Emphasis added)

Full article @ PurdueExponent.org

So, 67% to 59% there is still some degradation in oxygen but not as much as feared.  Besides, the concentration of oil itself accounts for some fo the difference there, so the degradation is even less than (67-59)%. VERY good news.

So now I hope, the scientists harvest and grow this microbe in cryo containers for future use which is sure to come.

All that said, it is the result of a grant funded by BP.  Somehow, that makes me wonder whether the numbers are accurate..  See what all that fibbing about release rate does to BP's credibility?


-- Edited by Sanders on Wednesday 25th of August 2010 12:54:13 PM