How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
For your Session Long Project, SLP, you will analyze current scientific studies related to the important events such as the Deepwater Spill.
In Modules 1-5, you will work through the results of this study:
Urakawa, H., Garcia, Juan C., Barreto, Patricia D., Molina, Gabriela A., Barreto, Jose C. (2012). A sensitive crude oil bioassay indicates that oil spills potentially induce a change of major nitrifying prokaryotes from the Archaea to the Bacteria. Environmental Pollution. 164:42-45
For Module 1:
- First read this article from Scientific American:
Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill - Next, define in complete sentences using a paragraph format:
- What is the difference between a prokaryotic and a eukaryotic cell?
- The following terms:
Archaea
Nitrifying bacteria
Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria
Gram-negative vs gram-positive bacteria
Hydrocarbon
Bioassay
Microtox bioassay
Crude oil
Biodegradation
- Finally read:
Urakawa, H., Garcia, Juan C., Barreto, Patricia D., Molina, Gabriela A., Barreto, Jose C. (2012). A sensitive crude oil bioassay indicates that oil spills potentially induce a change of major nitrifying prokaryotes from the Archaea to the Bacteria. Environmental Pollution. 164:42-45 - Which groups of bacteria were affected differently in this study?
SLP Assignment Expectations
The Session Long Project consists of an integrative project emphasizing the personalized application of each module's concepts. For Modules 1–5, students are required to engage in an original integrative project reflecting their comprehensive knowledge of and ability to apply the course materials. Each component of the SLP will be graded on a modular basis.
Your essay is considered a scholarly work. You will be provided with many scholarly references to begin each assignment. For any additional research you are required to do to complete your assignment, please use scholarly references such as a peer reviewed journal article or a government sponsored or university sponsored website. As you read through your sources, take notes from your sources and then write your paper in your own words, describing what you have learned from your research. Direct quotes should be limited and must be designated by quotation marks. Paraphrased ideas must give credit to the original author, for example (Murray, 2014). Direct copying from “homework help” websites will not receive credit.
When you write your essay, please organize your paper to include an introduction (overview of the assignment), body with subtitles (reflecting the requirements of the assignment), and a summary (develop connections between the required topics).
Slick Solution: How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
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Slick Solution: How Microbes Will Clean Up the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Introduction
Exploration and extraction of oil from the seas has negative implications to the environment. Spilling of oil may occur and this has an impact on the aquatic life as well as conditions on the land and atmosphere. Cleaning of oil spills such as that being experienced in Gulf of Mexico is desirable. However, this is challenging where oils spills are at deep waters since no effective methods have been developed. Natural methods of clean ups are through activities of microbes and other bacteria while artificial processes involve use of dispersants to break oil drops into small pieces for microbial activity (Biello, 2010). There are efforts to modify microbes as well as discovering other ways of increasing microbial activity to enhance ocean clean-ups. However, microbes and other bacteria are considered the ultimate solution. The purpose of this paper is to discuss aspects that are related to cleaning up oil spills in Gulf of Mexico and will be achieved by exploring bacteria that would facilitate clean ups.
Difference between a Prokaryotic and a Eukaryotic Cell
Prokaryotic cell differs from a eukaryotic one in structure and composition. The DNA of prokaryotic cell is in a nucleus enclosed by a membrane whereas no membrane surround nucleus region that contain DNA in a eukaryotic cell (Black, 2008). Prokaryotic cell has several organelles that are enclosed in membranes whilst eukaryotic cell normally lack organelles surrounded with membranes.
Definitions
* Archaea: This is the domain comprising of micro-organisms that are made of single cells. Single-celled microbes are basically prokaryotes and hence the domain is said to contain species with cells that lack nucleus along with absence of membranes to surround cell organelles.
* Nitrifying bacteria: These are bacteria that oxidize nitrous acid in substances into nitric acid which is helpful in degradation of substances (Caneva, Nugari & Salvadori, 2008). Nitrous acid is formed from oxidation of ammonia compounds.
* Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria: These are bacteria that convert ammonia in substances into nitrous acid that is helpful in breaking down of substances into less harmful chemical compounds.
* Gram-negative vs. gram-positive bacteria: Gram negative comprises of group of bacteria that do not retain violet color of Gram reagent used in identifying bacteria. On the other hand, some bacteria retain violet stain when tested with the reagent and are referred to as gram positive bacteria.
* Hydrocarbon: Hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms. There are various combinations of atoms for both elements hence forming different hydrocarbon compounds. The combi...