Prudhoe Crude Oil in Arctic Marine Ice, Water, and Sediment Ecosystems: Degradation and Interactions with Microbial and Benthic Communities

Abstract

A variety of in situ models were used to simulate oil spills in different arctic ecosystems. Numbers of oil-degrading microorganisms were found to increase after oil contamination. Oil contamination of sediment resulted in mortality of indigenous invertebrates. Recolonization of oil-contaminated sediments began shortly after oil contamination but benthic communities were significantly different in oil-contaminated sediment compared with the control, 2 mo after oil contamination. Petroleum hydrocarbons were degraded slowly. Ice greatly restricted losses of light hydrocarbons. Following initial abiotic losses, biodegradation of oil was limited and did not significantly alter the relative percentages of hydrocarbons in the residual oil. We concluded that petroleum hydrocarbons will remain in arctic ecosystems for prolonged periods after oil contamination. Key words: oil, petroleum, contamination, arctic, microorganisms, benthos