Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon.
Compound-specific stable (δ13C) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) isotopes of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used to evaluate carbon sources utilized by the active microbial populations in surface sediments from Athabasca oil sands tailings ponds. Algal-specific PLFAs were absent at three of the four si...
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ftinrsquebec:oai:espace.inrs.ca:4144 2023-05-15T15:26:05+02:00 Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. Ahad, Jason M. E. Pakdel, Hooshang 2013 https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/4144/ https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z unknown Ahad, Jason M. E. et Pakdel, Hooshang (2013). Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. Environmental Science and Technology , vol. 47 , nº 18. p. 10214-10222. DOI:10.1021/es402302z <https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z>. doi:10.1021/es402302z Athabasca oil sands microbial communities microbial populations organic contaminant petroleum hydrocarbons phospholipid fatty acids remediation strategies situ biodegradations Article Évalué par les pairs 2013 ftinrsquebec https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z 2023-02-10T11:42:53Z Compound-specific stable (δ13C) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) isotopes of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used to evaluate carbon sources utilized by the active microbial populations in surface sediments from Athabasca oil sands tailings ponds. Algal-specific PLFAs were absent at three of the four sites investigated, and δ13CPLFA values were generally within ∼3‰ of that reported for oil sands bitumen (∼−30‰), suggesting that the microbial communities growing on petroleum constituents were dominated by aerobic heterotrophs. Δ14CPLFA values ranged from −906 to −586‰ and pointed to significant uptake of fossil carbon, particularly in PLFAs (e.g., cy17:0 and cy19:0) often associated with petroleum hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. The comparatively heavier Δ14C values found in other, less specific PLFAs (e.g., 16:0) indicated the preferential uptake of younger organic matter by the general microbial population. Since the main carbon pools in tailings sediment were essentially “radiocarbon dead” (i.e., Δ14C ∼ −1000‰), the principal source for this relatively modern carbon is considered to be the Athabasca River, which provides the bulk of the water used in the bitumen extraction process. The preferential utilization of the minor amount of younger and presumably more labile material present in systems otherwise dominated by petroleum carbon has important implications for remediation strategies, since it implies that organic contaminants may persist long after reclamation has begun. Alternatively, this young organic matter could play a vital and necessary role in supporting the microbial utilization of fossil carbon via cometabolism or priming processes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Athabasca River Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec: Espace INRS Athabasca River Environmental Science & Technology 130909151814006 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec: Espace INRS |
op_collection_id |
ftinrsquebec |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Athabasca oil sands microbial communities microbial populations organic contaminant petroleum hydrocarbons phospholipid fatty acids remediation strategies situ biodegradations |
spellingShingle |
Athabasca oil sands microbial communities microbial populations organic contaminant petroleum hydrocarbons phospholipid fatty acids remediation strategies situ biodegradations Ahad, Jason M. E. Pakdel, Hooshang Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
topic_facet |
Athabasca oil sands microbial communities microbial populations organic contaminant petroleum hydrocarbons phospholipid fatty acids remediation strategies situ biodegradations |
description |
Compound-specific stable (δ13C) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) isotopes of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used to evaluate carbon sources utilized by the active microbial populations in surface sediments from Athabasca oil sands tailings ponds. Algal-specific PLFAs were absent at three of the four sites investigated, and δ13CPLFA values were generally within ∼3‰ of that reported for oil sands bitumen (∼−30‰), suggesting that the microbial communities growing on petroleum constituents were dominated by aerobic heterotrophs. Δ14CPLFA values ranged from −906 to −586‰ and pointed to significant uptake of fossil carbon, particularly in PLFAs (e.g., cy17:0 and cy19:0) often associated with petroleum hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. The comparatively heavier Δ14C values found in other, less specific PLFAs (e.g., 16:0) indicated the preferential uptake of younger organic matter by the general microbial population. Since the main carbon pools in tailings sediment were essentially “radiocarbon dead” (i.e., Δ14C ∼ −1000‰), the principal source for this relatively modern carbon is considered to be the Athabasca River, which provides the bulk of the water used in the bitumen extraction process. The preferential utilization of the minor amount of younger and presumably more labile material present in systems otherwise dominated by petroleum carbon has important implications for remediation strategies, since it implies that organic contaminants may persist long after reclamation has begun. Alternatively, this young organic matter could play a vital and necessary role in supporting the microbial utilization of fossil carbon via cometabolism or priming processes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ahad, Jason M. E. Pakdel, Hooshang |
author_facet |
Ahad, Jason M. E. Pakdel, Hooshang |
author_sort |
Ahad, Jason M. E. |
title |
Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
title_short |
Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
title_full |
Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
title_fullStr |
Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. |
title_sort |
direct evaluation of in situ biodegradation in athabasca oil sands tailings ponds using natural abundance radiocarbon. |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/4144/ https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z |
geographic |
Athabasca River |
geographic_facet |
Athabasca River |
genre |
Athabasca River |
genre_facet |
Athabasca River |
op_relation |
Ahad, Jason M. E. et Pakdel, Hooshang (2013). Direct Evaluation of in Situ Biodegradation in Athabasca Oil Sands Tailings Ponds Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon. Environmental Science and Technology , vol. 47 , nº 18. p. 10214-10222. DOI:10.1021/es402302z <https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z>. doi:10.1021/es402302z |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1021/es402302z |
container_title |
Environmental Science & Technology |
container_start_page |
130909151814006 |
_version_ |
1766356642065022976 |