Microbial oil degradation in the ocean

Information on our research projects in the area of microbial oil degradation in the ocean.

Oil inputs into the oceans (estimated 1500 million liters per year worldwide) result in environmental pollution of global concern because oil contains hazardous compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that can exert toxic or mutagenic effects on living organisms. The sources of anthropogenic oil inputs into the oceans are quite diverse, ranging from relatively well-studied “large-scale pollution events” (e.g., massive oil spills like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill) to rather poorly-explored “small-scale pollution events” (e.g., discharges from ships, rivers, and run off). Despite the large extent of oil inputs caused by the so-called small-scale pollution events, the rates of hydrocarbon degradation, the rate-influencing factors, the identity of microbial key players, and the metabolic pathways for hydrocarbon degradation remain largely unknown. In the DFG-funded Emmy Noether research project, we tackle these unknowns to greatly advance our current understanding of oil biodegradation during small-scale pollution events in the ocean.

 

Researchers involved in the project:

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