To characterize and isolate microbes responsible for oil degradation at four depths, we used Bio-Sep beads amended with volatile hydrocarbon from MC-252 oil to create hydrocarbon-amended traps. Bio-traps were placed on an oil riser about 600-m from the original MC-252 oil spill at 50-m, 200-m, 1,100-m and 1,500-m depths. Distinctive microbial communities were observed by 16S microarray analysis between traps baited with hydrocarbon and control traps at 28-d. Traps at 1,100-m and 1,500-m clustered into unique communities.  Unique hydrocarbon degrading organisms were isolated at each depth, confirming the culture-independent analysis. The hydrocarbon degradation potential of the different isolates further confirmed the depth-dependent differences.

Microbial community structure and in situ MC-252 oil degradation at different depths in the Gulf of Mexico

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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