Bioremediation of Oil


I did a Web Crawler (search engine) search using key words microbes, cleaning, oil, hazardous, waste, and got only one "hit" or web site to explore, http://tigger.jvnc.net/~levins/util.html -- this web site covered using microbes in manholes contaminated with petroleum residues.

I tried several other search engines (Yahoo, Lycos), neither were helpful, so I redirected my search.

Trying a key word search on P2 GEMS, using bio as the key word, I found three related key words, biotechnology, biochemistry, and biocides. Selecting biotechnology, I was rewarded with the following seven web sites, listed by description: 

biotechnology  Biodegradation of Oil - Student Science Project
               Microbial leaching of metal sulphides
               Biotechnology Information Center; patents; newsletters; reports and studies
               Archives of work from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory,fermentation
               Biological breakdown of PCBs in contaminated soil by SINTEF, Norway's
                largest research concern
               Addition of lactic acid bacteria allows waste water to be purified
               Bioformation and biodegradation of chloroorganic pollutants

Three descriptions intrigued me.....Bioremediation - student science project, the Biotechnology Information Center, and possibly looking at the PCB work at SINTEF as the research center (they may have additional insights on using bugs to break down oil).

To get to the associated web site, I selected the description of my choice. This linked me to the web site automatically, where I continued my exploration.

One other approach was taken to searching the internet for information on this subject.

Using telnet, I went to the Worcester Polytechnic Library and did a library search (see Information on Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) case study as to how to access various libraries via telnet). What follows is a copy of what I went through while online. Here's what I got:

You searched for the SUBJECT: microbes oil cleaning bioremediation

Your SUBJECT not found, Nearby SUBJECTS are: 

  1   Microbe Computer Program Usage  ................   1 entry
  2   Microbe Lift Ii Drain Cleaner Evaluation  ......   2 entries
  3   Microbeam Inc Product Introduction  ............   2 entries
  4   Microbeam Management  ..........................   1 entry
Microbes Oil Cleaning Bioremediation would be here
  5   Microbi Ological Research Statistics  ..........   1 entry
  6   Microbial Aggregation Analysis  ................   3 entries
  7   Microbial Aggregation Examinations Problems Exercises E.. 1 entry

Not satisfied with this result, I backed out and selected the CARL database via telnet again. My choices are in bold type.

Telnet: gateway.carl.org

Welcome to the CARL system
Please identify your terminal. Choices are: 1.ADM (all)
2.APPLE,IBM
3.TANDEM
4.TELE-914
5.VT100
6.WYSE 50
7.ZENTEC
8.HARDCOPY
9.IBM 316x
Use HARDCOPY if your terminal type isn't listed.
SELECT LINE #: 5

All set. When you are ready to exit the system, simply type //EXIT, or hang up.

Now, press return to enter the Public Access Catalog...

Welcome to the UnCover Standard Internet Gateway

***On July 10, 1995, the domain address for this***
*** gateway will change to gateway.carl.org. ***

1. UnCover -- Article Access and Delivery
2. CARL Database Services
69. KnowledgeOne (Information Services)
58. British Library Document Supply Centre

* UnCover is a database of current article information taken from more than 16,000 multidisciplinary journals. UnCover contains brief descriptive information about over 5,000,000 articles which have appeared since Fall 1988.

* UnCover is easy to use, with keyword access to article titles and summaries. You can also "recreate" the tables of contents pages from journals of particular interest to you.

You may enter //EXIT at any time to leave this system.

Enter the NUMBER of your choice, and press the key >> 1 (I chose UnCover)

WORKING...
SELECTED DATABASE: UnCover

Welcome to UnCover -- the world's largest article index and your single source for document delivery.

If you have an UnCover PROFILE NUMBER enter it now, or press RETURN to set up a new PROFILE, or to access UnCover without a PROFILE

UnCover contains records describing journals and their contents. Over 4000 current citations are added daily. UnCover offers you the opportunity to order fax copies of articles from this database.

To use UnCover, enter:
W for WORD or TOPIC search
N for AUTHOR search
B to BROWSE by journal title

ENTER COMMAND (? FOR HELP) ---w
SELECTED DATABASE: UnCover

--- microbes cleaners oil

WORKING...
MICROBES 265 ITEMS UnCover
CLEANERS is in the data base, but did not occur with MICROBES patience -- OIL is a long one...

Here's what I got, I've highlighted the interesting ones

MICROBES + OIL 15 ITEMS 

  1      (Hart's oil and gas world.  06/01/95)
      Rocky Mountains: Microbes boost Coastal's oil produc...

  2      (Hart's oil and gas world.  05/01/95)
      Rocky Mountains: Microbes boost Coastal's oil produc...


  3      (Hart's oil and gas world.  04/01/95)
      Permian Basin: Microbes clean up Amoco well sites.


  4      (Research & development.  04/01/95)
      Methods Remove Oil from Wells, Cholesterol from Arte...


  5 Shaw, Buddy  (Oil & gas journal.  01/30/95)
      Microbes safely, effetively bioremediate oil field p...


  6 Khire, J.M. (Enzyme and microbial technology.  03/01/94)
      Microbially enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). Part 2. Mi...

  7 Petersen, Lisa  (California engineer.... 12/01/93)
      Bioremediation: New Technology for Oil Spills.

 9 Snyder, James D.   Smithsonian.  04/01/93)
     Bacteria chow down to clean up the environment. 

 10     (Western oil world.  12/01/92)
     Composting recruits microbes for site cleanup help.

 11     (Water environment & technology  04/01/92)
     Oil-Eating Microbes Control Oil Slicks.

 12     (Well servicing.... 03/01/92)
     Attack of the oil-eating microbes.  **FAX 1HR*

 13     (Southwest oil world.  08/01/91)
     New microbes bite down hard on oilfield problems.

 14     (Chemical engineering.  03/01/91)
     Microbes flex their muscles.       

15      (Oil & gas investor.  04/01/90)
     Going Buggy.
Here is an example of what I got when I selected item #14


---------------------------UnCover--------------------
TITLE(s):    Microbes flex their muscles.

Summary: Bioremediation is cleaning up a lot more than just spilled
         oil. Now, it is treating chemical toxins. U.S. and European
         regulatory agencies are pushing for new field tests and R&D
         programs.

          In:  Chemical engineering.
               MAR 01 1991 v 98 n 3
          Page:   30
This article may be available in your library, at no cost to you. To have it faxed from UnCover, the following charges apply:

Service Charge: $ 6.50
Fax Surcharge: $ .00
Copyright Fee: $ 4.75
_____________________________________
Total Delivery Cost: 11.25

Here's what I got when I selected item #9

--------------------UnCover--------------------
AUTHOR(s):   Snyder, James D.  

TITLE(s):  Bacteria chow down to clean up the environment.
Summary:   The bioremediation industry matches microbes with their
           favorite snacks, from oil spills to nuclear wastes.  
         
         In:   Smithsonian.  
               APR 01 1993 v 24 n 1
               Page:  66
The publisher does not permit us to deliver this article.
Please ask for assistance at your library.

After this search, I backed out of the Uncover database and logged off. Had I wanted article #14, I could have had it faxed to me directly.