Molecular identification of enriched bacteria in cold seawater contaminated by heavy oil

A laboratory experiment was performed to identify the bacterial species that are enhanced following the two first days of crude oil contamination at low temperature (4ºC). Crude oil was added in the tanks to a final concentration of 0.1%. Two oil treatments were used in the experimental set-up: one with oil only (O) and one with oil + addition of dispersant (OD). Oil was added at the top of the seawater and a closed semi-continuous system was used to expose the water. The third variant constituted the control tank C. The seawater used was collected at -70m depth off our facility in the Byfjord (Stavanger, Norway)