Anaerobic degradation of hexadecane and phenanthrene coupled to sulfate reduction in seafloor sediments from the northern Gulf of Mexico

Sediment samples were collected from the northern Gulf of Mexico (29.3989N, -88.8678W) during an expedition with the R/V Weatherbird on August 21 in 2013, 87 kilometers NW from Macondo wellhead near the Mississippi river Delta at 56 m water depth. Surface (0-5 cm depth) sediment core samples were collected in sterile plastic bags for cultivation and immediately stored at 4˚C for 2 months until enrichment cultures were initiated. Sediment from the 0-5 cm depth interval was homogenized and supplemented as a 10% (w/v) inoculum with sterile anaerobic artificial seawater medium with either hexadecane or phenanthrene.

2013年8月21日，科研团队搭乘“天气鸟号（R/V Weatherbird）”科考船执行考察航次期间，于墨西哥湾北部（北纬29.3989°，西经88.8678°）采集沉积物样品，采样点位于水深56米处，距密西西比河三角洲（Mississippi River Delta）附近的马孔多井喷井口（Macondo wellhead）西北方向87公里。研究人员采用无菌塑料袋采集表层（0~5 cm深度）沉积物岩心（surface sediment core）样品以用于后续培养实验，并立即将样品置于4℃环境下冷藏保存2个月，直至启动富集培养（enrichment culture）。将0~5 cm深度区间的沉积物均质化处理后，以10%（质量体积比，w/v）的接种量接入添加有十六烷（hexadecane）或菲（phenanthrene）的无菌厌氧人工海水培养基中。