The Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx) consortium is funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative to investigate the impacts of spilled oil and dispersants on the formation of an extracellular matrix called EPS (exopolymeric substances) formed by marine microbes that is thought to be instrumental in determining the fate of oil. EPS formed by marine microbes can aid in the formation of marine snow that is important in the self-cleansing capacity of natural waters. It does this by binding to and aggregating particulates, oil, and debris in the water, thus causing them to sink to the seafloor.
Marine snow has been found to aid both in the dispersal and in the sinking of oil droplets from oil spills; marine microbes and phytoplankton can even use the hydrocarbons found in the oil as a source of food! However, it is hypothesized that the addition of dispersants (used to literally disperse the oil into the water column, much like dish soap in a greasy pan) can impede the formation of marine snow. Our consortium aims to investigate these interactions to better understand how the presence of oil can trigger the formation of EPS and subsequently aid in its degradation.
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