Products Used To Clean Up Gulf Oil Spill May Have Made Things Worse, Study Finds
The chemical dispersants slowed down oil-eating bacteria in the water.
The chemical dispersants slowed down oil-eating bacteria in the water.
Chemical engineer Jordan Young has found his happy place on a research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. He’s looking for changes in ocean acidity following the Deepwater Horizon spill. As the oil biologically degrades, some of it oxidizes to carbon dioxide and may increase acidification.
The Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is seeking a qualified and highly motivated individual for a postdoctoral research scientist position to lead independent research in the laboratory of Dr. Beth Orcutt
Scientists evaluated the effects of oil contamination on coastal mangrove plants. Their partially-submerged root system makes them vulnerable to pollutants. Scientists found that oil coated the mangrove roots and reduced water transport, leading to rapid plant dehydration.
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) Research Board announced today that it will award nearly $38 million to individuals and teams studying the effects of oil on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and public health. A total of 22 research proposals are being funded under this most recent GoMRI program.
The use of chemical dispersants meant to stimulate microbial crude oil degradation can in some cases inhibit the microorganisms that naturally degrade hydrocarbons, according to a new study led by University of Georgia marine scientists.
International University seeks a doctoral student to work on a large collaborative project focusing on deep sea nekton in the Gulf of Mexico (http://www.deependconsortim.org/).
Bryan Hamilton never planned to be a microbiologist, but when the opportunity arose to study microbes that produce biosurfactant in response to oil exposure, he was drawn in completely.
Scientists studied the interactions of the oil-degrading bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis with oil across oil-water interfaces that had varying amounts of different surfactants.
The University of Southern Mississippi’s Department of Marine Science (www.usm.edu/marine) seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar in the field of coastal ocean numerical modeling.