Long-term effects of crude oil on uptake and respiration of glucose and glutamate in Arctic and subarctic marine sediments

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5875403

Griffiths, R P; Caldwell, B A; Broich, W A; Morita, R Y

The effects of crude oil on uptake and respiration (mineralization) of glucose and glutamate in marine sediments were investigated. After the sediments were treated with crude oil, they were placed at or near the collection site by scuba divers. These sediments remained in situ until they were retrieved for analysis. Glucose and glutamate uptake rates were found to decrease, and the percent respired was found to increase in Arctic and subarctic marine sediments that had been exposed to fresh crude oil. These same changes were also observed when ''weathered'' crude oil was used and when untreated sediments were overlaid with oiled sediments. When the kinetics of glutamate uptake were determined, both the maximum potential uptake rate and the turnover time were significantly affected. A comparison between the proportion of glucose taken into the cells and that respired as CO/sub 2/ indicated that crude oil affected biosynthetic mechanisms. A study of sediments that had been exposed to crude oil for at least 5 months showed that glutamate transport into the cells was affected more extensively than biosynthetic mechanisms. In the initial months of exposure, bacterial concentrations and total adenylate concentrations were found to decrease in the presence of crude oil. Our data suggest that secondary productivity in the marine environment could be adversely affected by the presence of crude oil in marine sediments.

• Research Organization: Oregon State Univ., Corvallis
• OSTI ID: 5875403
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 42:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
ARCTIC REGIONS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
PETROLEUM
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
BACTERIA
CARBON DIOXIDE
GLUCOSE
MINERALIZATION
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
SEDIMENTS
UPTAKE
ALDEHYDES
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEXOSES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
SACCHARIDES
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects