COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF GULF OIL SPILL ON MOBILITY OF TOXIC METALS AND MICROBIAL ACTIVITIES IN ALABAMA COASTAL WETLANDS

合作研究：评估海湾漏油事件对阿拉巴马州沿海湿地有毒金属移动性和微生物活动的影响

• 批准号: 1048914
• 负责人: Alison Keimowitz
• 金额: $ 5.66万
• 依托单位: Vassar College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1048914&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: COLLABORATIVE; RESEARCH; ASSESSING; EFFECTS; GULF

The explosion of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 has released ~3 million barrels of crude oil to the Gulf as of mid-June (The Economist, 2010). This oil has a range of deleterious effects on the aquatic and coastal ecosystems of the Gulf. One such effect may include alteration of biogeochemical cycling of heavy metals in the coastal wetlands. Cycling of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) both depend on microbial activity, particularly iron and sulfate reduction, which may be promoted by the influx of organic matter (i.e. oil). Coastal wetlands are particularly susceptible to heavy metal contamination and may therefore be especially vulnerable to altered heavy metal cycling as a result of the oil spill. This project would examine solids and pore waters from sediment cores in Weeks Bay, Alabama for changes in microbial activity, arsenic concentration and speciation, and mercury concentration and speciation over the next eight to twelve months.Results will be of broad interest to the fields of bioremediation, biogeochemistry, geomicrobiology, and environmental health. During the progress of the study, PIs will be cooperating with local scientists and government officials, and plan on presenting technical seminars and workshops in the Alabama Gulf shore region. Because ocean oil spills are a common environmental problem worldwide, the data gathered in the research should benefit many other affected regions. Research will expose students from Alabama to state of the art methods and to a timely research topic. The Weeks Bay field site will serve as an outdoor laboratory for Auburn University Water Education for Alabama Black Belt (WET) outreach activities and existing courses.

2010年4月20日，墨西哥湾深水地平线石油钻井平台爆炸，截至6月中旬，已向墨西哥湾释放了约300万桶原油（经济学人，2010年）。这些石油对墨西哥湾的水生和沿海生态系统产生了一系列有害影响。其中一种影响可能包括改变沿海湿地中重金属的生态地球化学循环。汞（Hg）和砷（As）的循环都取决于微生物的活动，特别是铁和硫酸盐的还原，这可能会受到有机物质（即石油）流入的促进。沿海湿地特别容易受到重金属污染，因此可能特别容易受到石油泄漏造成的重金属循环改变的影响。该项目将研究亚拉巴马州威克斯湾沉积岩芯中的固体和孔隙沃茨，以了解未来8至12个月内微生物活性、砷浓度和形态以及汞浓度和形态的变化，其结果将对生物修复、土壤地球化学、地质微生物学和环境健康等领域产生广泛的影响。在研究过程中，PI将与当地科学家和政府官员合作，并计划在亚拉巴马湾海岸地区举办技术研讨会和讲习班。 由于海洋石油泄漏是全球共同的环境问题，研究中收集的数据应该使许多其他受影响的地区受益。研究将使来自亚拉巴马的学生接触到最先进的方法和一个及时的研究课题。周湾现场将作为奥本大学亚拉巴马黑带（WET）外展活动和现有课程的水教育室外实验室。