Research Product

The results from our oil spill bioremediation project show that the presence of oil on the beaches of Prince William, Alaska, caused a significant enrichment of oil-degrading microorganisms in the beach material but their effectiveness in degrading the oil was limited by the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. Our field study program has demonstrated convincingly that fertilizers can be applied to oiled beaches to overcome these nutrient limitations, thereby enhancing biodegradation of the oil.