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Biodegradation and adsorption of C1- and C2-phenanthrenes and C1- and C2-dibenzothiophenes in the presence of clay minerals: effect on forensic diagnostic ratios

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Abstract

The impact of modified montmorillonites on adsorption and biodegradation of crude oil C1-phenanthrenes, C1-dibenzothiophenes, C2-phenanthrenes and C2-dibenzothiophenes was investigated in aqueous clay/oil microcosm experiments with a hydrocarbon degrading microorganism community. Consequently, the effect on C1-dibenzothiophenes/C1-phenanthrenes, C2-dibenzothiophenes/C2-phenanthrenes, 2+3-methyldibenzothiophene/4-methyldibenzothiophene and 1-methyldibenzothiophene/4-methyldibenzothiophene ratios commonly used as diagnostic ratios for oil forensic studies was evaluated. The clay mineral samples were treated to produce acid activated montmorillonite, organomontmorillonite and homoionic montmorillonite which were used in this study. The different clay minerals (modified and unmodified) showed varied degrees of biodegradation and adsorption of the C1-phenanthrenes, C1-dibenzothiophenes, C2-phenanthrenes and C2-dibenzothiophenes. The study indicated that as opposed to biodegradation, adsorption has no effect on the diagnostic ratios. Among the diagnostic ratios reviewed, only C2-dibenzothiophenes/C2-phenanthrenes ratio was neither affected by adsorption nor biodegradation making this ratio very useful in forensic studies of oil spills and oil–oil correlation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Berny Bowler, Paul Donohue, Phil Green and Ian Harrison for the laboratory support received from them. Generally we are grateful to Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for funding this project and the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences of Newcastle University for providing the facilities used in this study.

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  1. School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Drummond Building, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Uzochukwu C. Ugochukwu, Ian M. Head & David A. C. Manning

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  1. Uzochukwu C. Ugochukwu
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  2. Ian M. Head
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  3. David A. C. Manning
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Correspondence to Uzochukwu C. Ugochukwu.

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Ugochukwu, U.C., Head, I.M. & Manning, D.A.C. Biodegradation and adsorption of C1- and C2-phenanthrenes and C1- and C2-dibenzothiophenes in the presence of clay minerals: effect on forensic diagnostic ratios. Biodegradation 25, 515–527 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-013-9678-6

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