Organisms That Break Down Oil

Alcanivorax Borkumensis

• Although there are many bacteria which break down oil, Alcanivorax borkumensis is one of the best known and most efficient. Although the bacteria is rare in clean oceans it appears and reproduces rapidly in waters polluted by oil. Alcanivorax borkumensis uses oil for energy, breaking down the alkanes found in oil and converting them into food. It is also able to use both organic and inorganic nitrogen. Scientists at the German Research Center for Biotechnology have broken down the DNA of Alcanivorax borkumensis and are hoping to use it to build even more effective bacteria for oil cleanups.

Archaea Microbes

• Archaea are organisms that are about 20 percent the size of bacteria and accelerate the breakdown of organic and some inorganic matter. It does this first by converting bacteria into co-enzyme A, and co-enzyme itself breaks down bacteria into food that bacteria can eat. Overall archea accelerate the breakdown of organic matter to as much as five times the normal rate. In addition to use on oil spills archaea is used in sewage treatment and for regular cleaning of recreational waterways.

Mushrooms

• Mushrooms have long been known for their ability to break down organic matter and remove toxins from soil. Most people, though, are unaware that the mushroom itself is just the "fruit" of the organism, most of which is living underground. The part of the mushroom living underground is called a mycelial network and it is the mycelium which actually does the work of breaking down organics and the mycelia can all function independently. Breaking up a network only creates multiple smaller networks. By isolating the elements which make this possible, scientists have begun making plastics which naturally biodegrade and believe that this technology will also be helpful in oil cleanups.

Plants

• Plants are able to safely remove oil and toxins from soil. Although this process is slower than using bacterial solutions, 400 species of plants have been shown to be useful in this process which involves introducing plants which have shown an ability to absorb hazardous materials without dying. Oil and other toxic materials are passed up through the root system to the plants foliage and then the foliage is harvested and disposed of safely.