Bioremediation For Marine Oil Spills

The massive Exxon Valdez oil spill prompted the Nation to take steps to improve its capability to fight oil spills. This background paper evaluates the state of knowledge in 1991 and assesses the potential of bioremediation (BR) for responding to marine oil spills. Chapters: Summary and Findings; The Fate of Oil in the Marine Environment; Biodegradation and the Chemical Nature of Petroleum; Microbial Processes and the Degradation of Petroleum; Environmental Influences on Biodegradation; General Advantages and Disadvantages of BR; Alternative BR Technologies; Environmental and Health Issues; BR in Relation to Other Response Technologies; BR Activities in the Public and Private Sectors; Regulatory Issues. Glossary. Charts and tables.Bioremediation For Marine Oil Spills, with ISBN 9780756738785 and ISBN 0756738784.