Biofilm Formation by Hydrocarbon-Degrading Marine Bacteria and Its Effects on Oil Dispersion

Biodegradation of oil by marine bacteria is a significant pathway to oil spill remediation. Marine hydrocarbon degrading bacteria are known to form biofilms consisting of exopolymer and interconnected bacterial cells. This work indicates that microbial biofilm aids in the stabilization of dispersed oil droplets through the formation of biofilm at the oil–water interface and is therefore an environmentally benign and sustainable method to aid dispersion of spilled oil. Using a model hydrocarbon degrading organism Alcanivorax borkumensis, we show, through a combination of optical and high-resolution cryogenic scanning electron microscopy, that these microbes sequester into biofilm at the oil–water interface. We show that the bacterial culture incubated for 3 days and containing biofilm can disperse oil slicks moderately well (40–50%) as estimated by the baffled flask test and can thus be used as an environmentally benign response to oil spills. The dispersion occurs through bacterial adsorption at the oil–w...