ScienceDaily (Sep. 11, 2008) — Microbes that break down oil and petroleum are more diverse than we thought, suggesting hydrocarbons were used as an energy source early in Earth’s history, scientists heard at the Society for General Microbiology’s Autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin. These microbes can change the composition of oil and natural gas and can even control the release of some greenhouse gases. Understanding the role of microbes in consuming hydrocarbons may therefore help us access their role in the natural control of climate change.
“Hydrocarbons like oil and natural gas are made up of carbon and hydrogen, they are among the most abundant substances on Earth,” said Dr Friedrich Widdel from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. “Even though we use them as fuel sources, they are actually very unreactive at room temperature. This makes them difficult to use as a biological energy source, particularly if there is no oxygen around.”
For over 100 years scientists have known that microbes such as bacteria can use hydrocarbons like oil and gas as nutrients. But this process usually requires supplies of oxygen to work at room temperature. “Scientists were always fascinated by the microbes that do this because hydrocarbons are so unreactive,” said Dr Widdel. “But it is even more surprising to find an increasing number of microbes that can digest hydrocarbons without needing oxygen.” Keep Reading
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