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

2010年4月20日，墨西哥湾深水地平线钻井平台发生爆炸，截至6月中旬，已向墨西哥湾泄漏了约300万桶原油（The Economist, 2010）。这种油对墨西哥湾的水生和沿海生态系统有一系列有害影响。海岸带湿地重金属生物地球化学循环的改变就是其中的一个影响。汞（Hg）和砷（As）的循环都取决于微生物活动，特别是铁和硫酸盐的还原，这可能由有机物（即油）的流入促进。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导致的重金属循环改变的影响。该项目将在接下来的8到12个月里检查阿拉巴马州威克斯湾沉积物岩心的固体和孔隙水，以了解微生物活动、砷浓度和物种形成、汞浓度和物种形成的变化。研究结果将对生物修复、生物地球化学、地球微生物学和环境健康等领域产生广泛的影响。在研究进行过程中，私人机构将与当地科学家和政府官员合作，并计划在阿拉巴马湾沿岸地区举办技术研讨会和讲习班。由于海洋石油泄漏是世界范围内常见的环境问题，因此研究中收集的数据将使许多其他受影响地区受益。研究将暴露学生从阿拉巴马州的最先进的方法和及时的研究课题。Weeks Bay场地将作为奥本大学水教育阿拉巴马州黑带（WET）外展活动和现有课程的室外实验室。

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.