Introduction
Bioremediation labs utilize microorganisms to degrade oil spills. Cleaning of soil alongside water and air can be achieved through bioremediation. Simulated oil spills are used to test numerous microbial cultures for bioremediation efficacy. Using a tetrazolium solution helps gauge the speed of oil breakdown. The environment may, unfortunately, experience long-lasting adverse effects due to oil spills. Eco-bioremediation is a viable solution, and thankfully, it exists.
Using the eco-bioremediation process, microbes convert oil into ecologically safe metabolites. Bioremediation from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon breach was accomplished by utilizing this process, which had been suggested by NOAA (Asif et al., 2022). Maximum efficacy can only be ensured in bioremediation when considering factors such as temperature, pH level, food sources, oil type, and ecological conditions. Comprehending these factors enables appropriate response and management of each oil spill, reducing its lasting impact.
Experiment Premise
Tubes 1 and 2
- Hypothesis. The indicator will change color in Tube 2 but not in Tube 1.
- Reasoning. Tube 1 consists of only bottled water, which should not alter the color of the indicator. In contrast, Tube 2 contains a microbial solution, which can break down oil into carbon dioxide and water. As a result, the chemical composition of Tube 2 is altered, and the indicator should change color.
Tubes 3 and 4
- Hypothesis. There will be a decrease in oil in Tube 4 but not in Tube 3.
- Reasoning. In this experimental setup, Tube 3, serving as a control, contains only bottled water and is not expected to exhibit any oil breakdown. Conversely, Tube 4 holds a microbial solution capable of biodegrading the oil into simpler end products, namely carbon dioxide and water. Consequently, a noticeable reduction in the oil volume is anticipated, specifically within Tube 4.
Tubes 5 and 6
- Hypothesis. Tube 5 will be broken down more fully by bacteria than Tube 6.
- Reasoning. Tube 5 contains 3 mL of microbial solution and 1 mL of bottled water, and Tube 6 — 2 mL of microbial solution and bottled water. As a result, Tube 5 has a higher concentration of the microbial solution, which should enable faster oil breakdown than Tube 6.
Results
Table 1: Tubes 1 and 2 Observations.
Table 2: Tubes 3 and 4 Observations.
Table 3: Tubes 5 and 6 Observations.
Analysis
Only one of the tubes (Tube 2) had a color change, confirming our initial assumption based on experimental data. On Day 1, a transparent liquid with an oily layer was found in both tubes. On Day 2 of observing Tube 2’s liquid, it was noticed that there was a reduction in the haze, and different-sized oil droplets could be seen floating near its upper part. The transformation of both color and texture can be explained by the actions of Tube 2’s microbial solution, which decomposes oil into water and carbon dioxide in both glasses.
The decrease in oil levels occurred only in tube four, not in tube three, thus supporting our hypotheses for both. The decrease in the amount of oil was caused by Tube 4, as it contained a microbial solution that decomposed into carbon dioxide and water. Whereas Tubes 1 and 2 contained impurities, Tube 3 consisted of pure bottled water, which did not result in oil breakdown.
After evaluating microbe activity, it was concluded that both hypotheses for Tubes 5 and 6 were accurate, with Tube 5 having experienced more breakdown. The discrepancy between these tubes can be traced back to their varying compositions. While tube five contains three milliliters of microbial solution and one milliliter of bottled water, tube six contains two milliliters of each. Due to the elevated concentration of the microbial solution in Tube 5, the oil broke down faster.
The results of the bioremediation lab experiment support the theory that introducing bacteria accelerates the breakdown of oil. The oil droplets in the microbe-containing tubes were smaller and more uniform than in the microbe-free tubes (Alotaibi et al., 2021). The water in the microbe-containing tubes was less murky and more crimson, showing the presence and activity of the bacteria in the oil breakdown. As a result, it was evident that bacteria have a substantial impact on the breakdown of oil in water.
Conclusion
This lab found that microbes decompose oil in water. Microbes can degrade oil hydrocarbons, according to research. Acinetobacter sp. strain C20 may be capable of breaking down naphthalene, a component of crude oil (Patel et al., 2022). Adding nutrients and oxygen may speed up the process.
This lab’s research aims to reduce oil spills and pollution. Researchers can clean oil-contaminated places by understanding how microbes break down oil. Bioremediation can be used to clean up oil spills by utilizing microorganisms (Hazaimeh et al., 2021). This research observed that feeding bacteria nourishment and oxygen may improve bioremediation.
One of the most difficult aspects of completing this experiment was analyzing the observations and data tables. Some of the findings, such as the description of fluid color and cloudiness, were subjective, making it impossible to compare the observations across tubes and days. This challenge compromised the accuracy of my results, as my interpretation of the observations was influenced by my biases and assumptions. Furthermore, the lack of a control group in the experiment may have influenced the accuracy of my findings, as it is challenging to make conclusions about the impacts of environmental variables without a baseline for comparison.
References
Alotaibi, F., Hijri, M., & St-Arnaud, M. (2021). Overview of approaches to improve rhizoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Applied Microbiology, 1(2), 329-351. Web.
Asif, Z., Chen, Z., An, C., & Dong, J. (2022). Environmental Impacts and Challenges Associated with Oil Spills on Shorelines. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(6), 762. Web.
Hazaimeh, M. D., & Ahmed, E. S. (2021). A review of bioremediation perspectives and progress in petroleum pollution in the marine environment. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(39), 54238-54259. Web.
Patel, A. K., Singhania, R. R., Albarico, F. P. J. B., Pandey, A., Chen, C. W., & Dong, C. D. (2022). Organic wastes bioremediation and its changing prospects. Science of the Total Environment, 153889.