Abstract
The potential for natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in oily drill cuttings from the seabed beneath a North Sea oil platform was investigated. The study focused on the anaerobic degradation of n-hexadecane, n-octacosane and naphthalene using additions of C-14-labelled analogues to drill cuttings samples and was conducted under realistic seabed conditions (except pressure) over an 11-month period. No mineralisation of naphthalene was detected over this time period and mineralisation of octacosane represented only 0.5-1.5% of the added label. In contrast, mineralisation of hexadecane was 10-49% after 11 months of incubation. Selective inhibition of key functional bacterial groups revealed the key role of both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in the degradation process. This study demonstrates the potential for natural attenuation of at least some hydrocarbon constituents of oily drill cuttings under realistic environmental conditions and highlights the involvement of a wide functional consortium in the natural attenuation process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 553-557 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Journal of Environmental Monitoring |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |
Keywords
- POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS
- SULFATE-REDUCING CONDITIONS
- MARINE SEDIMENT
- BIODEGRADATION
- MINERALIZATION
- ALKANES
- BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
- DENITRIFICATION
- DEGRADATION
- ENVIRONMENT
Cite this
The potential for anaerobic mineralisation of hydrocarbon constituents of oily drill cuttings from the North Sea seabed. / Artz, Rebekka; Semple, K. T.; Killham, Kenneth Stuart; Prosser, James Ivor; Paton, Graeme Iain.
In: Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Vol. 4, No. 4, 2002, p. 553-557.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The potential for anaerobic mineralisation of hydrocarbon constituents of oily drill cuttings from the North Sea seabed
AU - Artz, Rebekka
AU - Semple, K. T.
AU - Killham, Kenneth Stuart
AU - Prosser, James Ivor
AU - Paton, Graeme Iain
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The potential for natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in oily drill cuttings from the seabed beneath a North Sea oil platform was investigated. The study focused on the anaerobic degradation of n-hexadecane, n-octacosane and naphthalene using additions of C-14-labelled analogues to drill cuttings samples and was conducted under realistic seabed conditions (except pressure) over an 11-month period. No mineralisation of naphthalene was detected over this time period and mineralisation of octacosane represented only 0.5-1.5% of the added label. In contrast, mineralisation of hexadecane was 10-49% after 11 months of incubation. Selective inhibition of key functional bacterial groups revealed the key role of both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in the degradation process. This study demonstrates the potential for natural attenuation of at least some hydrocarbon constituents of oily drill cuttings under realistic environmental conditions and highlights the involvement of a wide functional consortium in the natural attenuation process.
AB - The potential for natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in oily drill cuttings from the seabed beneath a North Sea oil platform was investigated. The study focused on the anaerobic degradation of n-hexadecane, n-octacosane and naphthalene using additions of C-14-labelled analogues to drill cuttings samples and was conducted under realistic seabed conditions (except pressure) over an 11-month period. No mineralisation of naphthalene was detected over this time period and mineralisation of octacosane represented only 0.5-1.5% of the added label. In contrast, mineralisation of hexadecane was 10-49% after 11 months of incubation. Selective inhibition of key functional bacterial groups revealed the key role of both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in the degradation process. This study demonstrates the potential for natural attenuation of at least some hydrocarbon constituents of oily drill cuttings under realistic environmental conditions and highlights the involvement of a wide functional consortium in the natural attenuation process.
KW - POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS
KW - SULFATE-REDUCING CONDITIONS
KW - MARINE SEDIMENT
KW - BIODEGRADATION
KW - MINERALIZATION
KW - ALKANES
KW - BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
KW - DENITRIFICATION
KW - DEGRADATION
KW - ENVIRONMENT
U2 - 10.1039/b203991p
DO - 10.1039/b203991p
M3 - Article
VL - 4
SP - 553
EP - 557
JO - Journal of Environmental Monitoring
JF - Journal of Environmental Monitoring
SN - 1464-0325
IS - 4
ER -