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Predominant growth of Alcanivorax strains in oil‐contaminated and nutrient‐supplemented sea water
Author(s) -
Kasai Yuki,
Kishira Hideo,
Sasaki Tetsuya,
Syutsubo Kazuaki,
Watanabe Kazuya,
Harayama Shigeaki
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2002.00275.x
Subject(s) - biology , bioremediation , nutrient , seawater , bacteria , contamination , population , environmental chemistry , phosphorus , ecology , chemistry , demography , organic chemistry , sociology , genetics
Summary We found that bacteria closely related to Alcanivorax became a dominant bacterial population in petroleum‐contaminated sea water when nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients were supplied in adequate quantity. The predominance of Alcanivorax bacteria was demonstrated under three experimental conditions: (i) in batch cultures of sea water containing heavy oil; (ii) in columns packed with oil‐coated gravel undergoing a continuous sea water flow; and (iii) in a large‐scale tidal flux reactor that mimics a beach undergoing tidal cycles with fresh sea water. These results suggest that bacteria related to Alcanivorax are major players in the bioremediation of oil‐contaminated marine environments.