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Title: Protozoa in subsurface sediments from sites contaminated with aviation gasoline or jet fuel

Abstract

Fuel hydrocarbons are known to be readily biodegraded and protozoa may be associated with this process. The objective of this study is to determine whether protozoa are numerous enough in the contaminated areas of the subsurface to play a significant role in the microbial community. The results indicate that protozoa can become very numerous in the subsurface at fuel-contaminated sites with the greatest abundance of protozoa in the unsaturated zone, where fuel vapors mixed with atmospheric oxygen, and slightly beneath the floating fuel on the water table. In contrast, bacteria seemed to adapt to local conditions and showed less change in numbers in different parts of the profile than protozoa. Bioremediation of subsurface sediments is dependent on a sufficient hydraulic conductivity to permit pumping nutrients through the affected area. Bacteria have been known to cause large reductions in hydraulic conductivity. At the study area this reduction was not noted in spite of large concentrations of bacteria. The authors conclude that this may indicate a role for protozoa in maintaining hydraulic conductivity during biotreatment of readily degraded organic contaminants.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Lab., Ada, OK (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6503768
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 59:2; Journal ID: ISSN 0099-2240
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; AVIATION FUELS; BIODEGRADATION; PROTOZOA; SOILS; REMEDIAL ACTION; BACTERIA; CONTAMINATION; GASOLINE; HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY; HYDROCARBONS; JET ENGINE FUELS; OXYGEN; SEDIMENTS; VAPORS; WATER TABLES; ANIMALS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; DECOMPOSITION; ELEMENTS; FLUIDS; FUELS; GASES; INVERTEBRATES; LIQUID FUELS; MICROORGANISMS; NONMETALS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PETROLEUM PRODUCTS; 540220* - Environment, Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); 560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology

Citation Formats

Sinclair, J L, Kampbell, D H, Cook, M L, and Wilson, J T. Protozoa in subsurface sediments from sites contaminated with aviation gasoline or jet fuel. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Sinclair, J L, Kampbell, D H, Cook, M L, & Wilson, J T. Protozoa in subsurface sediments from sites contaminated with aviation gasoline or jet fuel. United States.
Sinclair, J L, Kampbell, D H, Cook, M L, and Wilson, J T. 1993. "Protozoa in subsurface sediments from sites contaminated with aviation gasoline or jet fuel". United States.
@article{osti_6503768,
title = {Protozoa in subsurface sediments from sites contaminated with aviation gasoline or jet fuel},
author = {Sinclair, J L and Kampbell, D H and Cook, M L and Wilson, J T},
abstractNote = {Fuel hydrocarbons are known to be readily biodegraded and protozoa may be associated with this process. The objective of this study is to determine whether protozoa are numerous enough in the contaminated areas of the subsurface to play a significant role in the microbial community. The results indicate that protozoa can become very numerous in the subsurface at fuel-contaminated sites with the greatest abundance of protozoa in the unsaturated zone, where fuel vapors mixed with atmospheric oxygen, and slightly beneath the floating fuel on the water table. In contrast, bacteria seemed to adapt to local conditions and showed less change in numbers in different parts of the profile than protozoa. Bioremediation of subsurface sediments is dependent on a sufficient hydraulic conductivity to permit pumping nutrients through the affected area. Bacteria have been known to cause large reductions in hydraulic conductivity. At the study area this reduction was not noted in spite of large concentrations of bacteria. The authors conclude that this may indicate a role for protozoa in maintaining hydraulic conductivity during biotreatment of readily degraded organic contaminants.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6503768}, journal = {Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)},
issn = {0099-2240},
number = ,
volume = 59:2,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}