Microbiology of Terrestrial Crude Oil Degradation

• Main Author: Hunt, Patrick G.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1972
• Subjects: Microbiology; Civil Engineering; Fuels; *MICROBIOLOGY; *PETROLEUM PRODUCTS; BIOCHEMISTRY; ENZYMES; ALASKA; SOILS; AROMATIC COMPOUNDS; DECOMPOSITION; PHENOLS; ARCTIC REGIONS; ANTHRACENES; ALKENES; PHENANTHRENES; *OILS; *POLLUTION; *BIODETERIORATION; *SOIL MICROBIOLOGY; BIOCHEMICAL CYCLES; DECALIN; Arctic; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0742674; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0742674

As most oil mishaps have been on water most of the progress or prevention and cleanup has been in the area of aquatic spills and relatively little has been done or considered in the area of terrestrial spills. Yet numerous petroleum transport systems are terrestrial. For example, the proposed Alyeska pipeline will cross 800 miles of ecologically sensitive terrain in Alaska. Terrestrial oil spill clean-up is difficult in any area, but in Alaska, where permafrost soils and slow growing vegetation are prevalent, the potential problems are magnified immensely. Therefore, after the potential water pollution and health hazards have been addressed, one of the most logical approaches for treating a terrestrial oil spill in Alaska is by microbiological means. The report concerns the topic of microbial decomposition of crude oil in soils.