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Degradation of the “Erika” oil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 October 2004

Sylvain Bordenave ,
Ronan Jézéquel ,
Aude Fourçans ,
Hélène Budzinski ,
François X. Merlin ,
Tangi Fourel ,
Marisol Goñi-Urriza ,
Rémy Guyoneaud ,
Régis Grimaud  and
Pierre Caumette
...Show all authors
Sylvain Bordenave
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Ronan Jézéquel
Affiliation:
CEDRE, 715 rue Alain Colas, CS 41836, 29218 Brest Cedex 1, France
Aude Fourçans
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Hélène Budzinski
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physico-Toxico-Chimie, UMR 5472 CNRS, Université Bordeaux I, 351 Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence, France
François X. Merlin
Affiliation:
CEDRE, 715 rue Alain Colas, CS 41836, 29218 Brest Cedex 1, France
Tangi Fourel
Affiliation:
CEDRE, 715 rue Alain Colas, CS 41836, 29218 Brest Cedex 1, France
Marisol Goñi-Urriza
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Rémy Guyoneaud
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Régis Grimaud
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Pierre Caumette
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
Robert Duran
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire EA3525, Université de Pau, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
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Abstract

Since March 2001, samples of the remaining oil from the wreck of the “Erika” have been collected along the Atlantic coastline in order to assess the natural degradation rate. Four years after the sinking of the tanker, chemical analyses of the oil revealed the influence of environmental parameters on the degradation kinetics. Among the diverse parameters controlling the fate of oil in the environment, biodegradation by microorganisms is known to play an important role. To investigate the role of microorganisms on “Erika” oil degradation, microbial mats from the Guérande salt marches were maintained in slurries containing the pollutant. From these slurries experiments, a low biodegradation rate of the “Erika” oil was detected indicating the degradation capacities of microbial mats. Biodiversity studies were conducted to further understand the biodegradation processes. Microbial mats from the Guérande salterns were maintained in microcosms to evaluate the impact of “Erika” oil on bacterial communities. Molecular analysis based on 16S rRNA and pufM encoding genes allowed fingerprinting of the bacterial and purple anoxygenic bacterial (PAB) communities respectively. These studies revealed bacterial diversity and communities changes showing the adaptation of microorganisms to the “Erika”.

Keywords

Microbial matBiodiversity analysisHeavy fuel oilPAHT-RFLP
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 17 , Issue 3: The "Erika" Oil Spill: Environmental Contamination and Effects in the Bay of Biscay , July 2004 , pp. 261 - 267
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2004

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