‘Oil-munching bacteria’ may clean hard-to-reach oil pockets of
Gulf spillAugust 4th, 2010 - 1:31 pm ICT by ANI Washington,
August 4 (ANI): Tel Aviv University researchers have used
naturally occurring ‘oil-munching bacteria’ grown in labs to
clean the hard-to-reach oil pockets that occur when oil mixes
with sand and organic matter on beaches. This find may be
implemented in cleaning up the waste created by the Gulf oil
spill. Prof. Eugene Rosenberg and Prof. Eliora Ron of TAU
developed methods of growing the bacteria, and increasing their
capacity to ingest the oil. The solution that could clean up the
residual oil that can’t be removed by mechanical means. It is
this small percentage of oil that sits under rocks and forms a
thin film on the water’s surface. “We see sad pictures of birds
covered in oil and people with good intentions cleaning bird
wings,” said Ron. “But by the time the oil is on their wings,
it’s too late. Birds die because oil gets into their lungs.” At
this level of oil removal, the researc