On the Trail of Oil-Munching Organisms
Photo: Markus Huettel
New York Times, 6/14/12 -- A significant amount of the 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled still lies on the ocean floor, lingers in salt marshes or is mixed into beach sand, scientists say. Yet some other oil has been degraded by oil-digesting organisms — and a new paper in the journal PLoS suggests that fungi are among them.
Read article.
 Is it true that microbes cleaned up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? Can bacteria really "eat" oil, and if so, how? This report released by the American Academy of Microbiology seeks to consider and answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding microbes and oil spills. See Report.
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In The News...
Gulf Oil Spill: Oil-Dispersing Chemicals Had Little Effect On Oil Surfacing, According to New Study (Science Daily, 12/12/12)
Timeline: Gulf of Mexico oil spill (Reuters, 11/15/12)
BP caps dome believed to be source of oil sheen
(AP, 10/25/12)
Laboratory testing about safety of Florida seafood (Florida Division of Food Safety, 10/12)
Louisiana: Oil Sheen Linked to 2010 BP Spill (New York Times, 10/11/12)
Beyond Wind & Rain: Isaac Could Stir Up Oil (Our Amazing Planet, 8/29/12)
Dolphin die-off tied to Gulf oil spill, other factors, study suggests (Orlando Sentinel, 8/4/12)
Florida Officials Say Gulf Seafood Is Safe to Eat (WCTV, 7/31/12) |
