title: Marine biodegradation of crude oil in temperate and Arctic water samples.
abstract: Despite increased interest in marine oil exploration in the Arctic, little is known about the fate of Arctic offshore oil pollution. Therefore, in the present study, we examine the oil degradation potential for an Arctic site (Disko Bay, Greenland) and discuss this in relation to a temperate site (North Sea, Denmark). Biodegradation was assessed following exposure to Oseberg Blend crude oil (100 mg L(-1)) in microcosms. Changes in oil hydrocarbon fingerprints of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkyl-substituted PAHs, dibenzothiophenes, n-alkanes and alkyltoluenes were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In the Disko Bay sample, the degradation order was n-alkanes>alkyltoluenes (para->meta->ortho-isomers)>PAHs and dibenzothiophenes, whereas, the degradation order in the North Sea samples was PAHs and dibenzothiophenes>alkyltoluenes>n-alkanes. These differences in degradation patterns significantly affect the environmental risk of oil spills and emphasise the need to consider the specific environmental conditions when conducting risk assessments of Arctic oil pollution.
authors.affiliation: Analytical Chemistry, Section for Environmental Chemistry and Physics, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Department of Geochemistry, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anders R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.affiliation: Analytical Chemistry, Section for Environmental Chemistry and Physics, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003718:Denmark; D006116:Greenland; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Biodegradation; Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Marine Arctic environment; Oil hydrocarbon fingerprint; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; TOC graphic