Gulf Oil Spill Disappearance: Microbes Eat Up the Oil

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In summary, the vast majority of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico has disappeared, and the cleanup crew is relying on microbes to do the job.
  • #36
mugaliens said:
That's definitely a valid concern! Given the economic impact to BP thus far, however, I think that's probably a much stronger incentive for oil companies to avoid mishaps than would be any change to the regulations.

AGREE x 1000!

I don't know why people don't see this fact more easily. The first thing Exxon did with a lot of their rigs after the Deepwater Horizon was shut them down for an 18 hour inspection. No regulation needed.

If there is another catastrophic oil spill, it will not be due to a faulty blow-out preventer.
 
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  • #38
Proton Soup said:
anaerobes FTW !

Now THAT is the kind of "ftw" you're not going to see outside of PF. :smile:
 
  • #39
nismaratwork said:
Now THAT is the kind of "ftw" you're not going to see outside of PF. :smile:

FTW.jpg
 
  • #40
FlexGunship said:
FTW.jpg

HA! Two laughs in a row. :smile: Oh my sides...
 
  • #42
nismaratwork said:
Well, assuming that this isn't more of CNN re-publishing months old news... this is very bad in my view.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/15/gulf.oily.layer/index.html?hpt=C1

Ive just read the article. Not sure why this is bad news. That seems like the best place for it until it gets eaten by bacteria. True, it would get eaten faster if it were mixed up, but it would also affect more species in the water column more directly.

Given that the ecosystem has developed to deal with natural ocean-floor leakage, I would say this is an optimal storage location until it's all gone.
 
  • #43
FlexGunship said:
Ive just read the article. Not sure why this is bad news. That seems like the best place for it until it gets eaten by bacteria. True, it would get eaten faster if it were mixed up, but it would also affect more species in the water column more directly.

Given that the ecosystem has developed to deal with natural ocean-floor leakage, I would say this is an optimal storage location until it's all gone.

the bottom substrate also makes a great home for those bacteria. they adhere to the sand particles and form a biological filter medium. home aquarists take advantage of this with deep sand layers in the tank and sometimes refugia.

there will certainly be dead zones like those mentioned where the oil accumulates, but as long as it doesn't cover the entire bottom, those zones should be able to re-seed fairly quickly once the oil is consumed. maybe sooner if it gets buried a bit beneath the surface.
 
  • #44
Um... this is also the feeding ground for crabs, and a great many other basic food-chain items, as well as a placed that many try to make their home. You can skim oil on the surface, but if this isn't prone to metabolism by microbes, we're screwed.
 
  • #45
crabs are resilient bastards, they'll come back
 
  • #46
Proton Soup said:
crabs are resilient bastards, they'll come back

If that's serious, it's funny, if it's a joke in reference to other kinds of crabs... it's funny. Either way, this works for me. :biggrin:
 
  • #47
nismaratwork said:
If that's serious, it's funny, if it's a joke in reference to other kinds of crabs... it's funny. Either way, this works for me. :biggrin:

my feelings towards crabs are similar to yours towards Nader. :rolleyes:
 
  • #48
Proton Soup said:
my feelings towards crabs are similar to yours towards Nader. :rolleyes:

:smile: OK, I get it, I get it.

On topic a bit, it's important to remember that if the crabs are eaten before they can... ahhh... excrete the relevant toxins they'll pass this up the food chain. I admit, crabs alone, and mudbugs in general don't activate my sympathy to a great extent, but it's one example from a guy who is no marine biologist as to how the bottom is not a "safe" place. I will admit, it beats suspended plumes, but I don't know that it's better than the skimmable surface.
 
  • #49
nismaratwork said:
:smile: OK, I get it, I get it.

On topic a bit, it's important to remember that if the crabs are eaten before they can... ahhh... excrete the relevant toxins they'll pass this up the food chain. I admit, crabs alone, and mudbugs in general don't activate my sympathy to a great extent, but it's one example from a guy who is no marine biologist as to how the bottom is not a "safe" place. I will admit, it beats suspended plumes, but I don't know that it's better than the skimmable surface.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/is-gulf-seafood-safe-to-eat-the-nose-knows/19577398

I smell all of my crab first. So, I should be good.
 

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