Microbes along S’pore coastline break down oil faster when sand is less waterlogged, has more oxygen: Report
The findings stemmed from initial research prompted by one of Singapore’s worst oil spills, which occurred in 2024.
Microbes occupying Singapore’s coastline can accelerate the breakdown of oil during natural clean-ups when the sand conditions are less waterlogged and rich in oxygen, according to recent research. Led by Professor Stephen Brian Pointing of the National University of Singapore, the study found that microbes degraded 40 percent of the oil in well-drained sand with high oxygen levels over 90 days.
However, in waterlogged sand with low oxygen, the same timeframe only saw 5 percent degradation. Oxygen levels play a critical role in how effectively microbes process oil, with some bacteria more efficient under high oxygen conditions, while others take over in low oxygen environments. This research, published in August in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, was inspired by Singapore’s worst oil spill in June 2024, where a dredging boat collided with a bunker vessel, releasing over 400 tonnes of oil into the southern waters.
The findings, which identified 298 species of microbes degrading oil in Bendera Bay, could help responders understand the conditions that favor natural oil removal and devise interventions to speed up the clean-up process. Such interventions could include aeration, drainage, and preventing shallow beach slopes. The study also revealed some microbes are adaptable to both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor conditions, acting as metabolic bridges during fluctuating beach conditions.
Pointing emphasized that understanding the biological recovery process of oil spills is crucial for tropical coastlines, given Singapore’s equatorial climate and dynamic coastlines.
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