Interaction between Alcanivorax borkumensis bacterial biofilm and naturally occurring clay minerals: implications to oil sedimentation and biodegradation

All data were collected in a laboratory setting. The data includes images of droplets stabilized by clay platelets and by biofilms produced by the organism Alcanivorax borkumensis. The objective of the dataset is to provide information regarding natural oil dispersion, biodegradation and the production of marine snow. The data also provides information regarding the fate of oil droplets when surrounded by biofilm and the potential for oil sedimentation through oil-mineral aggregates. Detailed imaging data gives insight into bacterial sequestration by particles at the oil-water interface. In detail the following information is provided (a) three-phase contact angle measurements to understand wettability of clays at the oil-water interface (b) interfacial tension measurements as a function of clay adsorption (c) diameters of emulsion droplets (d) optimal images of emulsions droplets with biofilm (e) cryo-scanning electron microscopy of droplets colonized by bacteria (f) bacterial growth rate studies (g) oil sedimentation images (h) biodegradation quantification through gas chromatography.