Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons
Microbes (bacteria, phytoplankton) in the ocean are responsible for the copious production of exopolymeric substances (EPS) that include transparent exopolymeric particles. These materials act as a matrix to form marine snow. After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, marine oil snow (MOS) formed in mas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.642160/full |
| _version_ | 1818922300092710912 |
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| author | Antonietta Quigg Antonietta Quigg Peter H. Santschi Peter H. Santschi Chen Xu Kai Ziervogel Manoj Kamalanathan Wei-Chun Chin Adrian B. Burd Andrew Wozniak Andrew Wozniak Patrick G. Hatcher |
| author_facet | Antonietta Quigg Antonietta Quigg Peter H. Santschi Peter H. Santschi Chen Xu Kai Ziervogel Manoj Kamalanathan Wei-Chun Chin Adrian B. Burd Andrew Wozniak Andrew Wozniak Patrick G. Hatcher |
| author_sort | Antonietta Quigg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbes (bacteria, phytoplankton) in the ocean are responsible for the copious production of exopolymeric substances (EPS) that include transparent exopolymeric particles. These materials act as a matrix to form marine snow. After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, marine oil snow (MOS) formed in massive quantities and influenced the fate and transport of oil in the ocean. The processes and pathways of MOS formation require further elucidation to be better understood, in particular we need to better understand how dispersants affect aggregation and degradation of oil. Toward that end, recent work has characterized EPS as a function of microbial community and environmental conditions. We present a conceptual model that incorporates recent findings in our understanding of the driving forces of MOS sedimentation and flocculent accumulation (MOSSFA) including factors that influence the scavenging of oil into MOS and the routes that promote decomposition of the oil post MOS formation. In particular, the model incorporates advances in our understanding of processes that control interactions between oil, dispersant, and EPS in producing either MOS that can sink or dispersed gels promoting microbial degradation of oil compounds. A critical element is the role of protein to carbohydrate ratios (P/C ratios) of EPS in the aggregation process of colloid and particle formation. The P/C ratio of EPS provides a chemical basis for the “stickiness” factor that is used in analytical or numerical simulations of the aggregation process. This factor also provides a relative measure for the strength of attachment of EPS to particle surfaces. Results from recent laboratory experiments demonstrate (i) the rapid formation of microbial assemblages, including their EPS, on oil droplets that is enhanced in the presence of Corexit-dispersed oil, and (ii) the subsequent rapid oil oxidation and microbial degradation in water. These findings, combined with the conceptual model, further improve our understanding of the fate of the sinking MOS (e.g., subsequent sedimentation and preservation/degradation) and expand our ability to predict the behavior and transport of spilled oil in the ocean, and the potential effects of Corexit application, specifically with respect to MOS processes (i.e., formation, fate, and half-lives) and Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:51:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3af60c0e279d4549a732ae9ffbc5c1de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:51:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-3af60c0e279d4549a732ae9ffbc5c1de2022-12-21T19:57:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-07-01810.3389/fmars.2021.642160642160Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of HydrocarbonsAntonietta Quigg0Antonietta Quigg1Peter H. Santschi2Peter H. Santschi3Chen Xu4Kai Ziervogel5Manoj Kamalanathan6Wei-Chun Chin7Adrian B. Burd8Andrew Wozniak9Andrew Wozniak10Patrick G. Hatcher11Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United StatesDepartment of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesDepartment of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesDepartment of Marine Science, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United StatesDepartment of Marine Science, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United StatesInstitute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United StatesDepartment of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United StatesDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United StatesDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United StatesSchool of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United StatesDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United StatesDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United StatesMicrobes (bacteria, phytoplankton) in the ocean are responsible for the copious production of exopolymeric substances (EPS) that include transparent exopolymeric particles. These materials act as a matrix to form marine snow. After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, marine oil snow (MOS) formed in massive quantities and influenced the fate and transport of oil in the ocean. The processes and pathways of MOS formation require further elucidation to be better understood, in particular we need to better understand how dispersants affect aggregation and degradation of oil. Toward that end, recent work has characterized EPS as a function of microbial community and environmental conditions. We present a conceptual model that incorporates recent findings in our understanding of the driving forces of MOS sedimentation and flocculent accumulation (MOSSFA) including factors that influence the scavenging of oil into MOS and the routes that promote decomposition of the oil post MOS formation. In particular, the model incorporates advances in our understanding of processes that control interactions between oil, dispersant, and EPS in producing either MOS that can sink or dispersed gels promoting microbial degradation of oil compounds. A critical element is the role of protein to carbohydrate ratios (P/C ratios) of EPS in the aggregation process of colloid and particle formation. The P/C ratio of EPS provides a chemical basis for the “stickiness” factor that is used in analytical or numerical simulations of the aggregation process. This factor also provides a relative measure for the strength of attachment of EPS to particle surfaces. Results from recent laboratory experiments demonstrate (i) the rapid formation of microbial assemblages, including their EPS, on oil droplets that is enhanced in the presence of Corexit-dispersed oil, and (ii) the subsequent rapid oil oxidation and microbial degradation in water. These findings, combined with the conceptual model, further improve our understanding of the fate of the sinking MOS (e.g., subsequent sedimentation and preservation/degradation) and expand our ability to predict the behavior and transport of spilled oil in the ocean, and the potential effects of Corexit application, specifically with respect to MOS processes (i.e., formation, fate, and half-lives) and Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.642160/fullmarine oil snowmarine snowexopolymersMOSSFAdeepwater horizonoil |
| spellingShingle | Antonietta Quigg Antonietta Quigg Peter H. Santschi Peter H. Santschi Chen Xu Kai Ziervogel Manoj Kamalanathan Wei-Chun Chin Adrian B. Burd Andrew Wozniak Andrew Wozniak Patrick G. Hatcher Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons Frontiers in Marine Science marine oil snow marine snow exopolymers MOSSFA deepwater horizon oil |
| title | Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons |
| title_full | Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons |
| title_fullStr | Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons |
| title_short | Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons |
| title_sort | aggregation and degradation of dispersants and oil by microbial exopolymers addomex toward a synthesis of processes and pathways of marine oil snow formation in determining the fate of hydrocarbons |
| topic | marine oil snow marine snow exopolymers MOSSFA deepwater horizon oil |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.642160/full |
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