Oil-eating bacteria found in world's deepest ocean
To digest hydrocarbons, the bacteria rely on a suite of unique enzymes.
(Web Desk) – Researchers from the United Kingdom, Russia and China found unique bacteria that can eat the hydrocarbon compounds found in oil in the world’s deepest ocean the Mariana Trench.
The Mariana Trench is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, approximately 200 miles east of the Mariana Islands. The trench is nearly 36,000 feet below sea level (if Mount Everest was dropped into the trench, its peak would still be one mile below the ocean s surface).
“Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that are made of only hydrogen and carbon atoms, and they are found in many places," says Dr. Jonathan Todd, from the University of East Anglia’s School of Biological Sciences and co-author of this study, “These types of microorganisms essentially eat compounds similar to those in oil and then use it for fuel.”
To digest hydrocarbons, the bacteria rely on a suite of unique enzymes. And, these bacteria are not exclusive to the deep sea - similar bacteria occur throughout the world s oceans.
According to Forbes, scientists have even been successfully used to help clean up major oil spills, including the Exxon-Valdez Spill in the Gulf of Alaska in 1989 and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. However, it is important to note that the microbes alone cannot fully remove oil from the marine environment.
While many of the hydrocarbons found in the ocean are likely due to human-driven pollution, Dr. Nikolai Pedentchouk, from the University of East Anglia’s School of Environmental Sciences and another co-author of this study, said, "To our surprise, we also identified biologically produced hydrocarbons in the ocean sediment at the bottom of the trench. This suggests that a unique microbial population is producing hydrocarbons in this environment."
Academy Award-winning film director James Cameron famously descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 2012, during which time he collected several new species including sea cucumbers, half-foot-long shrimp, and giant amoebas.
