Bioremediation of Petroleum and Oil Spills

Munox® bioremediation can be very effective in reducing the mass, concentrations and toxicity of petroleum spills in marine and fresh water environments. Munox® is a consortium of naturally-occurring microbes that may already be present in the spill area.

Advantage of Munox® Bioaugmentation

The advantage of Munox® bioaugmentation is that while the natural levels of microbes can degrade the hydrocarbons over a long period of time, bioaugmentation adds a high population of microbes that can accelerate the cleanup. Munox® has been used in controlled surface water applications to remove a sheen or layer of oil in a few days. The benefit of bioaugmentation is that by cleaning up the oil quickly, potential harm to the ecosystem and wildlife is minimized.

Munox® is metabolizes the hydrocarbons in surface spills quickly by utilizing the oxygen available at the atmospheric interface. The hydrocarbon, water and atmosphere provide everything the microbes need to thrive. After the hydrocarbon is destroyed, the microbial population dies off and the ecology is restored to natural conditions.

Appropriate situations for Munox® bioaugmentation:

• Bioremediation requires contact between the organisms and the hydrocarbon molecule - the greater the population density, the faster the cleanup. Munox® is unlikely to be successful in open ocean water applications where wind and wave action will disperse the microbes.

• Munox® can be very effective in surface application to oil on vegetation, beach sands and rocks. The Munox® can be applied through a manual sprayer to these surfaces.

• Munox® can degrade oil on calm water such as in marshes and swamps, where the mixing action is limited.

• Munox® can be mixed with surface soils where the oil has seeped through the surface to degrade soil below the surface. The Petrox may be mixed with the soil using agricultural implements.

Munox® has not been used in a situation such as the current Gulf of Mexico oil spill. This information is provided to help those looking for solutions to evaluate the appropriate use of Munox® bioremediation. Case studies where Munox® bioaugmentation has successfully remedied hydrocarbon contamination can be found here.