S-200 (bioremediation)

S-200 is a bioremediation product used to clean up oil spills. It is an oleophilic nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer, sometimes known as a super nutrient, that promotes the growth of micro-organisms that degrade hydrocarbons (such as oil and fuel). The effects of S-200 were studied on a beach affected by the Prestige oil spill off the coast of Spain in 2002, the study concluded that S-200 enhanced the biodegradation rate of specific compounds, but the evidence did not establish whether it had improved the visible aspect of the beach, detached stuck oil, or reduced weathered oil. Other compounds, such as uric acid and lecithin, may be more effective than S-200.

In 2006, other researchers summarized the findings of experiments on Prestige-affected coastal areas, concluding that oloephilic fertilizers such as S-200 were of "limited effectiveness.

The product was developed by International Environmental Products, a US company based around S-200 as its product.

Field tests

Volunteers cleaning the coastline in Galicia in the aftermath of the Prestige catastrophe, March, 2002

2011 Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Cleanup: Oil Gone Easy S-200 (along with 7 other products from the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule) has been chosen for laboratory and field testing. The BioChem Strike Team (BCST) was established in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident by the Alternative Response Technology (ART) program. The BCST consisted of experts from BP, LSU, LDEQ, USCG, OSPR (California), SCAT, and highly experienced oil spill response consultants. Furthermore, the BCST operated in conjunction with advice from EPA and NOAA. The overall objectives of the BCST were to evaluate among the thousands of submissions of alternative approaches through the ART system, those biological and chemical technologies that best meet the needs of Unified Command on oil spill cleanup. In order to accomplish this, the team reviewed and subsequently determined which technologies would undergo desktop evaluations (literature review), laboratory scale testing (at the aquatic toxicology laboratory at Louisiana State University, LSU), and/or field testing. Ultimately the results of this work by the BCST will be to provide recommendations for best available technologies for use by the Unified Command. Reference - Laboratory Screening of Commercial Bioremediation Agents for the Deepwater Horizon Spill Response

Laboratory Testing of S-200: Laboratory testing conducted by the BioChem Strike Team yielded the following results: "S-200 is identified as a bioremediation accelerator and as such, does not contain bacterial cultures. The product contributes to the establishment of a robust microbial population. As per manufacturer instructions, additional nutrients are added to the product along with non-sterile site water and weathered oil. Considerable biodegradation to alkanes was seen over the course of treatment with 95.9% of these constituents reduced in 12 weeks. An 11.2% reduction in PAHs resulted from the S-200 treatment over 12 weeks, a reduction similar to that seen in Positive Control 2 flasks." Reference - Full Report

In March 2011, field testing of S-200 and other products was initiated by the BioChem Strike Team.

In 2006, a field bioremediation assay was conducted by the Department of Microbiology, University of Barcelona on the use of S-200 ten months after the Prestige heavy fuel-oil spill on a beach of the Cantabrian coast in northern Spain. The field survey indicated that S-200 enhanced the biodegradation rate, particularly of high molecular weight n-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, and benzenes, and alkylated PAHs. The most significant molecular bioremediation indicators were the depletion of diasteranes and C-27 sterane components.

However, the study was confined to analysis of specific compounds, and did not report whether the application of S-200 caused a decrease in the amount of weathered oil, the detachment of any oil that had been stuck, or any improvement to the visible appearance of the beach.

In 2006, other researchers summarized the findings of experiments on Prestige-affected coastal areas, concluding that oloephilic fertilizers such as S-200 were of "limited effectiveness".

A 2007 test by researchers at the Technical University of Crete comparing a control to treatment by S-200 and treatment by uric acid and lecithin found that the hydrocarbon degradation in a period of 7 days was greater with the uric acid and lecithin treatment than it was with the S-200 treatment and the control.

Further reading

• J.R. Gallego, J.R. Fernández, F. Díez-Sanz, S. Ordoñez, H. Sastre, E. González-Rojas, Ana I. Peláez, and J. Sánchez (May 2007). "Bioremediation for Shoreline Cleanup: In Situ vs. On-Site Treatments". Environmental Engineering Science. 24 (4): 493–504. doi:10.1089/ees.2006.0091. {{cite journal}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• J.R. Gallego, E. González-Rojas, A.I. Peláez, J. Sánchez, M.J. García-Martínez, J.E. Ortiz, T. Torres, and J.F. Llamas (December 2006). "Natural attenuation and bioremediation of Prestige fuel oil along the Atlantic coast of Galicia (Spain)". Organic Geochemistry. 37 (12): 1869–1884. doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2006.07.022. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Myriam Sanna, Magdalena Grifoll, and José Julio Ortega (2007). "Biodegradation of PAHs at solid/water and organic-liquid/water interfaces: Influence of an oleophilic fertilizer" (Microsoft Word). VERTIMAR-2007 Symposium on Marine Accidental Oil Spills, Vigo, Spain, June 5–8 2007. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Núria JIMÉNEZ, Sergi DÍEZ, Jordi SABATÉ, Marc VIÑAS, Josep M. BAYONA, Joan ALBAIGÉS, and Anna M. SOLANAS (2005). "Enhanced biodegradation of fuel from the Prestige: in vitro and field assays" (Microsoft Word). VERTIMAR-2005 Symposium on Marine Accidental Oil Spills, Vigo, Spain, July 13–16 2005. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) — also available as:
  • Núria Jiménez, Sergi Díez, Jordi Sabaté, Marc Viñas, Josep M. Bayona, Joan Albaigés, and Anna M. Solanas (2005). "Enhanced biodegradation of the Prestige fuel oil: laboratory and field observations" (PDF). Theme Session S: Oil Spills in Marine Ecosystems: Impacts and Remediation. ICES CM 2005/S:15.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• C. Calvo, G. A. Silva-Castro, I. Uad, C. García Fandiño, J. Laguna, and J. González-López (November 2008). "Efficiency of the EPS emulsifier produced by Ochrobactrum anthropi in different hydrocarbon bioremediation assays". Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. 35 (11). Springer: 1493–1501. doi:10.1007/s10295-008-0451-5. PMID 18784947.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) — a study that includes the combination of S-200 with the EPS emulsifier

External links

• Oil Gone Easy
• Laboratory Screening of Commercial Bioremediation Agents for the Deepwater Horizon Spill Response Interim Report Submitted to: David Tsao, Ph.D BioChem Strike Team Leader ‐ Deepwater Horizon Remediation Engineering and Technology Specialist BP Remediation Management 28100 Torch Parkway Warrenville, IL 60555, March 3, 2011