Effects of spilled oil on microbial communities in a tidal flat

Effects of spilled oil on microbial communities in tidal flats were examined by use of a simulator for a tidal flat ecosystem. The simulator is composed of a wave generator, a tide control device, and a tidal flat. Sediment for the tidal flat was obtained at a natural tidal flat in Hiroshima Bay, Japan. After stabilizing the benthic organisms, fuel oil C was added to the surface of the flat at 1 lm(-2). Although the total number of micro-organisms remained at 1.5-3.5 x 10(9) cells g(-1) dry sediment irrespective of the addition of oil, bacterial communities which were analyzed based on the 16S rDNA showed clear changes after the addition of fuel oil C and after a subsequent recovery period. Bacterial colonies were randomly isolated from the oil-supplemented sediment during the experiments, and the isolates were examined for susceptibility to hydrocarbons in order to screen the oil-susceptible bacteria. The proportion of oil-susceptible bacteria in the isolates decreased with the addition of the oil. Oil-susceptible bacteria showed an inability to assimilate petroleum compounds as well as an inhibition of growth. The possibility of using oil-susceptible bacteria as an indicator of bioremediation in tidal flats was discussed.