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Hydrocarbon degradation by Antarctic coastal bacteria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2004

J. E. Cavanagh ,
P. D. Nichols ,
P. D. Franzmann  and
T. A. Mcmeekin
J. E. Cavanagh
Affiliation:
Australian Collection of Antarctic Microorganisms, Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, PO Box 252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia CSIRO Division of Marine Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia Department of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania, PO Box 252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
P. D. Nichols
Affiliation:
Australian Collection of Antarctic Microorganisms, Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, PO Box 252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia CSIRO Division of Marine Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
P. D. Franzmann
Affiliation:
CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag PO Wembley, WA 6014, Australia
T. A. Mcmeekin
Affiliation:
Australian Collection of Antarctic Microorganisms, Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, PO Box 252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia Department of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania, PO Box 252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
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Abstract

Bacterial cultures obtained through selective enrichment of beach sand collected 60 days and one year after treatment of sites in a pilot oil spill trial conducted at Airport Beach, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, were examined for the ability to degrade n-alkanes and phenanthrene. The effects of different hydrocarbon mixtures (Special Antarctic Blend [SAB] and BP-Visco), fish oil [orange roughy]) and inoculation of replicate sites with water from Organic Lake (previously shown to contain hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria) on the indigenous microbial population were examined. Of the cultures obtained, those from sites treated with SAB and BP-Visco degraded n-alkanes most consistently and typically to the greatest extent. Two mixed cultures obtained from samples collected at 60 days and two isolates obtained from these cultures extensively degraded phenanthrene. 1-Hydroxy-naphthoic acid formed the major phenanthrene metabolite. Lower levels of salicylic acid, 1-naphthol, 1, 4-naphthaquinone and phenanthrene 9-10 dihydrodiol were detected in extracts of phenanthrene grown cultures. This study shows that under laboratory conditions indigenous Antarctic bacteria can degrade n-alkanes and the more recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, phenanthrene. The enrichment of hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms in Antarctic ecosystems exposed to hydrocarbons is relevant for the long term fate hydrocarbon spills in this environment.

Keywords

alkanesAntarctic bacteriahydrocarbon degradationphenanthrene
Type
Papers—Life Sciences and Oceanography
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , December 1998 , pp. 386 - 397
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1998

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