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Development and application of protocols for evaluation of oil spill bioremediation
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Development and application of protocols for evaluation of oil spill bioremediation

Joe Eugene Lepo and C. R. Cripe
EPA Environmental Research Brief
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency * Gulf Breeze Environmental Research Laboratory
04/1998

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Abstract

Test systems that simulate oil slicks on open water or oiled sandy beaches were developed to test the effectiveness of commercial oil spill bioremediation agents (CBAs). Gravimetric and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analytes (e.gv selected n-alkanes, isoprenoids, and aromatic compounds) were used to provide efficacy endpoints for comparing CBA-treated test systems with untreated control systems. The resulting test systems, and protocols for their use, .were evaluated using a variety of CBAs. Aquatic chronic estimator toxicology tests provided information on the environmental risks posed by the bioremediation agent itself as well as by the effluent,from CBA-treated test systems. Selected CBAs produced only minimal losses of analytes in the open-water test system after 7 days and somewhat greater, losses from the beach test system after 28 days. The use of a positive control consisting of selected oil degrading bacteria and nutrients enhanced degradation of certain oil components. The environmental safety protocols were also tested with a variety of CBAs; their intrinsic toxicity was relatively low (>75 ppm), and effluent exiting open-water test systems in which CBA and oil were allowed to interact was toxic for only one out of six products. A variety of research topics related to the development of CBA test system protocols were also investigated.
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