Lecture 8 Whyte Flashcards
T or F: The number of marine oil spills have been increasing due to increased shipping and transport of fuels
T
The sources of oil released into the oceans is estimated at:
5x10^6 tonnes/year
What are natural sources of marine oil spills?
The gulf of mexico is a huge reservoir of oil. Microbes present have many ions available to degrade hydrocarbon sources
In the Ocean hydrocarbon cycle, hydrocarbon degrading bacteria use _________ as an energy source and produce ________
alkanes
CO2
The conversion of CO2 to alkanes uses energy derived from _________________
photosynthesis
Complete the following: ALKANES - FATTY ACIDS -
TCA CYCLE
RESPIRATION
Complete the following: CO2 - SUGARS -
ACYL-ACPs
ALKANES
Alcanivorax borkumensis is an obligate _____________________ bacterium
hydrocarbonoclastic
Alcanivorax borkumensis plays a significant role in the biological removal of ____________________________
petroleum hydrocarbons from polluted oceans
T or F: Alcanivorax borkumensis relies solely on eating hydrocarbons as an energy source
T
Alcanivorax secretes natural _____________ which help to break up oil droplets
emulsifiers
The genome of alkalivorax borkumensis has metabolic pathways to degraden________
alkanes
Name some things that Alcanuvorax borkumensis has in its genome sequence:
- Alkane
- Biosurfactant
- Nitrate
- Phosphate
- TonB-dependent receptor (sequester iron because oceans are iron-depleted
Why is it beneficial when there’s a storm going on at the same time during an oil spill?
Because the wave action will emulsify the oil and breaking it down into the water column, smaller and smaller droplets and some microorganisms in the ocean will eat those hydrocarbons
List some remediation treatment options for marine oil spills:
- In-situ burning
- dispersants
- photooxidation
- evaporation / aerosolization
- emulsification
T or F: The exxon Valdez oil spill happened in 1989 and caused some significant ecosystem damage both in the short and long term
T