Oil Spill Bioremediation Kit

Carolina Science Supply

Purpose of this kit:

The activities in this kit are intended to simulate how oil-degrading microbes can be used to break down petroleum after oceanic oil spills.

The activities are NOT a direct representation of marine oil spill bioremediation.

Kit Information

Carolina Item #181322

$89.25

Kit designed for a class of 32 students

Kit Contents

Included in the kit: 1 bottle of tetrazolium

indicator, 0.02% ▪ Chemical indicator that will

turn from clear to pink when reduced

1 bottle of oil 1 container of Rid-X

Septic System Treatment 1 sheet of labels 64 culture tubes with

caps 81 plastic pipettes

Needed, but not supplied: Test tube racks At lease 64 mL of

distilled water 140 mL warm tap

water Funnel 20 x 20 Cheese

cloth

Pre-Lab Preparation

Prior to the lab, the Rid-X solution needs to be made, left to react, and then sifted.

This process can be completed the day before the lab.

Breakdown of an Oil Spill

In a spill of crude oil in the ocean: 25% of the oil evaporates and becomes

air pollution 15% of the oil consists of heavy

compounds which stick together and sink to the bottom of the ocean

The remaining 60% is broken down over time into simpler, nontoxic products by oil-degrading microbes (microscopic living organisms) in a process called biodegradation.

Bioremediation

Human intervention to facilitate microbial removal of pollutants from the environment

Three major approaches to bioremediation for the cleanup of marine oil spills

Bioremediation Approach #1 Biostimulation

Optimizing the environment of oil-degrading microbes to accelerate their growth and metabolic activity

Nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron are added to the ocean environment, much like applying fertilizer to a lawn

Negatives▪ Nutrients must remain in contact with the oil▪ Concentration must remain at an optimal level for

an extended period of time.

Bioremediation Approach #2 Bioaugmentation

The process of supplementing (or “seeding”) a population of naturally occurring, oil-degrading microbes with additional microorganisms

Used when the existing population of microbes in a contaminated region is not optimally suited to degrade the type of oil present

Positives▪ These microbes cans be easily cultivated in large

quantities in laboratories and can be stored, ready for use, for up to three years

Bioremediation Approach #3 Genetically Engineered

Microorganisms (GEM) Most naturally occurring microbes cannot

achieve complete degradation on its own Scientists are creating genetically modified

microorganisms to combine requisite pathways and enzymes in one organism in order to degrade oil more efficiently and extensively

Relatively new approach and is undergoing development

Experiment Design

Lab consists of four culture tubes to be used in two experimentsExperiment A▪ Oil will be treated with oil-degrading microbes

(experimental condition) and without oil-degrading microbes (control condition) in the presence of the tetrazolium chemical indicator

Experiment B▪ Oil will be treated with oil-degrading microbes

(experimental condition) and without oil-degrading microbes (control condition) but without the chemical indicator