RAPID: Affect of Petroleum Deposit Geometry on Biodegradation Potential and Long-Term Persistence

PI：Amy Pruden建议编号：1053221机构：弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学标题：RAPID：石油矿床几何形状对生物降解潜力和长期持久性的影响当前墨西哥湾的石油泄漏已造成前所未有的大片海岸线被原油污染。因此，沿海石油储量的规模是人类从未有过的。这突出表明，迫切需要开发和应用现有的最佳工具，以预测来自这些沉积物的潜在关注污染物(PCOC)的长期持久性，并为潜在的补救战略提供信息。拟议的快速反应研究项目将应用一种新的综合分子生物学和建模方法，以批判性地研究石油矿床几何结构在控制PCOCs衰减方面的作用。考虑到需要在油田石油矿藏受到飓风破坏之前确定其特征，并需要获取尚未被石油污染的海岸线样本，以检查微生物适应在控制生物降解潜力方面的时间尺度和重要性，因此供资尤为紧迫。虽然几何形状对其他轻非水相液体(LNAPL)的去向和运输的重要性已经确定，但矿藏几何形状仍然是决定溢出到墨西哥湾的原油最终命运的一个尚未探索的潜在关键因素。拟议研究工作的一个特别新颖的方面是综合分子微生物学和建模方法，该方法将用于加强对原油矿藏持久性的预测。因此，这项研究的三个目标是：1)确定几何形状在原油沉积通过溶解和生物降解而衰减中的作用；2)确定石油沉积几何形状对主要电子受体条件、总生物降解率和微生物适应时间尺度的影响；3)建立考虑石油沉积几何形状和微生物因素的石油烃衰减改进模型。这些目标将通过现场、实验室和计算建模工作的组合来实现，包括测试各种石油矿床几何形状的3D储罐实验。基因组使能工具针对与感兴趣的关键功能对应的基因，包括好氧多环芳烃(PAH)生物降解和反硝化、硫酸盐还原和产甲烷条件，将被应用于表征石油矿床的上、下和侧表面，并支持开发微生物对石油溶解和生物降解的贡献的概念模型。最终的结果将是一种计算工具，用于模拟海洋和海滩沉积物中PHC的溶解速度与微生物活动和水相迁移的关系。这一模型将特别有助于估计来自原油储藏的PCOCs的补救时间。目前墨西哥湾漏油危机的紧迫性显而易见。目前的估计是，超过500英里的海岸线已经被一系列广泛的焦油球和油膜污染。这些石油储量将被有意和无意地封顶，导致持续数年甚至数十年。拟议的工作将填补预测石油矿藏和相关石油化合物的长期持久性和最终命运所需的关键知识空白，从而将向决策者提供有关补救战略的关键信息。此外，该项目将为一名博士和一名本科生提供一个鼓舞人心的培训主题，他们都将在现场采样工作中发挥不可或缺的作用。国际石油学会还通过弗吉尼亚理工学院工程想象营，积极为代表不足的初中生开展漏油清理活动。这两个私人投资者还将在各自的CEE 2804土木工程和环境工程导论部分将漏油案例研究作为一个有价值和鼓舞人心的学习工具。项目组的目标是向科学界迅速传播成果，包括同行评议的出版物和在科学会议上的陈述。

PI: Amy PrudenProposal Number: 1053221Institution: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityTitle: RAPID: Effect of Petroleum Deposit Geometry on Biodegradation Potential and Long-Term PersistenceThe current Gulf of Mexico oil spill has contaminated an unprecedented expanse of shoreline with crude oil. Thus, the extent of petroleum deposits accumulating along the coast represents a scale never before encountered by humankind. This underscores a critical urgency to develop and apply the best available tools to predict the long term persistence of potential contaminants of concern (PCOCs) derived from these deposits and to inform potential remediation strategies. The proposed RAPID response research project will apply a novel integrated molecular biological and modeling approach to critically examine the role of petroleum deposit geometry in governing the attenuation of PCOCs. Funding is particularly urgent considering the need to characterize petroleum deposits in the field prior to their disruption by hurricanes and also to obtain shoreline samples that have not yet been tainted with oil in order to examine the time scale and importance of microbial adaptation in governing biodegradation potential.While the importance of geometry on the fate and transport of other light non aqueous phase liquid (LNAPLs) has been established, deposit geometry remains an unexplored yet potentially critical factor governing the ultimate fate of the crude oil spilled into the Gulf. A particularly novel aspect of the proposed research effort is the integrated molecular microbiological and modeling approach that will be used to enhance predictions of persistence of crude oil deposits. Thus the three objectives of this research are to: 1) Determine the role of geometry in the attenuation of crude oil deposits via dissolution and biodegradation; 2) Determine the effect of petroleum deposit geometry on predominant electron acceptor conditions, overall biodegradation rates, and time scale for microbial adaptation; and 3) Develop an improved model of petroleum hydrocarbon attenuation considerate of petroleum deposit geometry and microbiological factors. These objectives will be accomplished through a combined field, laboratory, and computational modeling effort, including 3 D tank experiments testing various petroleum deposit geometries. Genome enabled tools targeting genes corresponding to key functions of interest, including aerobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biodegradation and denitrifying, sulfate reducing and methanogenic conditions will be applied to characterize the upper, lower, and lateral surfaces of the petroleum deposits and to support the development of a conceptual model of the microbial contribution to petroleum dissolution and biodegradation. The ultimate outcome will be a computational tool to simulate PHC dissolution rates coupled to microbial activity and aqueous phase transport in marine and beach sediments. This model will be particularly useful in estimating time of remediation of PCOCs derived from crude oil deposits.The urgent nature of the current Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis is readily apparent. Current estimates are that over 500 miles of shoreline have already been contaminated with an extensive array of tar balls and oil sheets. These oil deposits will be capped intentionally and unintentionally, resulting in persistence for years or perhaps even decades. The proposed work will fill a critical knowledge gap required to predict the long term persistence and ultimate fate of the oil deposits and associated PCOCs and thus will provide critical information to decision makers regarding remedial strategies. Additionally, the project will provide an inspiring training topic for a PhD and an undergraduate student, both of whom will play an integral role in the field sampling effort. The PI is also actively conducting hands on oil spill cleanup activities for underrepresented junior high students via the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Imagination Camp. Both PIs will also be featuring the oil spill case study as a valuable and inspiring learning tool in their respective sections of CEE 2804 Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering. The project team aims for rapid dissemination of the results to the scientific community, including peer reviewed publications and presentations at scientific conferences.