Effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on plant litter microbiota in an artic lake
The effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the microbial community associated with decomposing Carex leaf litter colonized in Toolik Lake, Alaska, were examined. Microbial metabolic activity, measured as the rate of acetate incorporation into lipid, did not vary significantly from controls over a 12-h period after exposure of colonized Carex litter to 3.0 ml of Prudhoe Bay crude oil, diesel fuel, or toluene per liter. ATP levels of the mirobiota became elevated within 2 h after the exposure of the litter to diesel fuel or toluene, but returned to control levels within 4 to 8 h. ATP levels of samples exposed to Prudhoe Baye crude oil did not vary from control levels. Mineralization of specificially labeled /sup 14/C-(lignin)-lignocellulose and /sup 14/C-(cellulose)-lignocellulose by Toolike Lake sediments, after the addition of 2% (vol/vol) Prudhoe Bay crude oil, motor oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, n-hexane, or toluene, was examined after 21 days of incubation at 10/sup 0/C. Diesel fuel, motor oil, gasoline and toluene inhibited /sup 14/C-(lignin)-lignocellulose mineralization by 58, 67, 67, and 86%, respectively. Hexane-treated samples displayed an increase in the rate of /sup 14/C-(lignin)-lignocellulose mineralization of 33%. /sup 14/C-(cellulose)-lignocellulose mineralization was inhibited by the addition of motor oil or toluene by 27 and 64%, respectively, whereas diesel fuel-treaated samples showed a 17% increase in mineralization rate. Mineralization of the labeled lignin component of lignocellulose appeared to be more sensitive to hydrocarbon perturbations than was the labeled cellulose component.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Cincinnati, OH
- OSTI ID:
- 5737352
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 43:1; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560302 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACETATES
ALASKA
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ARCTIC OCEAN
ARCTIC REGIONS
AROMATICS
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
DIESEL FUELS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASOLINE
HYDROCARBONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LAKES
LIGNIN
LIQUID FUELS
METABOLISM
MICROORGANISMS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLAR REGIONS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PRUDHOE BAY
SACCHARIDES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
TOLUENE
USA