At Vyatka State University, scientists have created bacteria capable of effectively combating the consequences of man-made disasters, such as oil and petroleum product spills. The scientists used the genetic material of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli to create a safe Pseudomonas.
In order to minimize the negative impact of humans on the environment, for example, in the event of oil and petroleum product spills, surface-active substances (surfactants) are used. These chemical compounds are capable of reducing the surface tension between different phases, such as air and liquid.
Surfactants promote the formation of emulsions from water and fats, which makes them effective in removing various contaminants. They are widely used in the production of detergents, such as washing powders and degreasers, as well as in the cosmetic and food industries.
In the field of oil and gas production, they are used to increase the efficiency of oil extraction from already depleted formations that have undergone primary and secondary production.
Among the most effective surfactants are rhamnolipids, consisting of a "head" based on the sugar rhamnose and one or more "tails" formed by fatty acids.
In the natural environment, the most productive source of rhamnolipids is the conditionally pathogenic bacterium for humans known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This microorganism is dangerous to humans: it causes various nosocomial infections and actively multiplies on the surfaces of sinks and care items.
Researchers have found a way to solve this problem. They introduced sections of the genome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are responsible for the synthesis of rhamnolipids, into safe Pseudomonas viridiflava bacteria. Plasmids were used for this purpose — special DNA molecules that cells perceive as part of the main genetic material.
Previously, in the Kerch Strait, the tankers Volgoneft-239 and Volgoneft-212 crashed. The ships had about 9.2 thousand tons of fuel oil on board. Some of the oil products spilled into the sea. The pollution spread to 49 kilometers of coastline in the area of Anapa and the Temryuk district of the Krasnodar Territory. More than a thousand people and over a hundred pieces of equipment were involved in the aftermath.
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A state of high alert has been introduced in the Kuban due to the fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait
The oil tanker Volgoneft-212 is in distress in the Kerch Strait, a Mi-8 helicopter has flown to help
