Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1992)
Page 8 The Battalion Friday, April 24,1! 3 o G G Gl O □ □ O m □ a European Goat Cowboy European Goat Roper Full Quill Ostrich Cowboy Full QuiU Ostrich Roper ANNUAL LUCCHESE BLOWOUT Our Everyday Unbelievable Low Price! Sale Price! *369" *299“ *219" *179 99 99 519 99 Ostrich Roper 199 99 ASM Full Quill Ostrich 10* Off 10* Off ASM European Goat Roper 10* Off A&M European Goat Cowboy 10* Off Register To Win A Free Pair Of Smooth Ostrich Ropers!! Hurry Now... 4 Days Only Sale Absolutely Ends Sunday CAVENDER'S COLLEGE STATION 1400 HARVEY ROAD NEAR POST OAK MALL 696-8800 • MON-SAT 9-9; SUN 12:30-5:30 No Layaways or Rainchecks O UVJ y a a <a o a g y o Scientist focuses on bio-remediation Continued from Page 1 the ocean, providing a constant source of oil for bacterial con sumption. Around the channel there are also dense pine forests, which add terpene from pine tar to the Sound in rain runoff. These factors combined to ensure there was a bacterial presence in the contaminated area. "The bacteria population is usually restricted by the availibih- ty of hydrocarbons, but oil sup plied that," Stiefel said. "The bac teria multiplied until restricted by something else— the availability of nitrogen and phosphorous. "We sprayed Inipol, an oily fertilizer developed in France which sticks to oil on the beach, and biodegradation increased 90 percent," he said. "We sprayed it on a test strip of contaminated beach, and in 10 days the rocks were clean." The EPA joined with Exxon in the research program, and even tually $4.6 million was spent on testing to guard against environ mental damage, Stiefel said. Be cause of strong currents in Prince William Sound, the extra fertiliz ers caused no algal blooms, and cold temperatures did not hinder the bacteria. A major reason bioremediation was more successful than other methods of cleanup was that the oil-contaminated areas of Prince William Sound were very remote, and nearly impossible to access with more conventional clean up equipment, Stiefel said. The nearest civilization, Valdez, Alaska, was three hours by boat or 45 minutes by heli copter from the nearest oil. "Just getting to the contaminat ed sites was a major accomplish ment," he said. "We eventually had more than 11,000 workers cleaning up the coastline, living on big personnel ships along the coast. Once the armada of cleanup ships arrived at a contaminated site, personnel equipped with liq uid fertilizer sprayers would satu rate the beach, then the ships would move on to the next site, Stiefel said. The bacteria were so effective, nothing else had to be done. "Many of the organisms dam aged by the spill have increased population, and most of the oil has been incorporated into the food chain," Stiefel said. "Recov ery of the area is well on its way." A&M researchers develop oil-eating microorganisms By Jayme Blaschke The Battalion An oil spill can be one of the most environmentally damag ing man-made disasters, but researchers at Texas A&M are developing an innovative cleanup method for spills using microorganisms. Bioremediation gained na tional attention during the Mega Borg oil spill off the Texas coast, when A&M researchers used microorganisms in an ef fort to break up part of the spill. Dr. Roy Harm of the envi ronmental engineering pro gram at A&M said it has taken a while, but federal and state money is becoming available. "In the past several months there has been a tremendous resurgence of interest in biore mediation," Hahn said. "Be cause of that, federal and state money promised over a year ago is finally starting to make it through the bureaucracy." He said one part of the Texas A&M University System — Lamar University in Beaumont — has already received some significant state funding. Dr. James Bonner of the A&M Civil Engineering Depart ment said two-thirds of his work involves bioremediation, and emphasis on it is increasing dramatically. "The Coast Guard is a key proponent of bioremediation, and is in a major evaluative phase right now," Bonner said. "The Mega Borg was big pub licity for us, because a year ago no one had heard of bioremedi ation, and it made up only a small percentage of oil spill re search. It makes up about 18 percent now. "Results have been so posi tive that we just received $2.5 million from the Department of Defense to develop a program that will use bioremediation to break down nerve gas," he shid. "That's kind of a razzle-dazzle program, but it shows the po tential applications of these or ganisms." Despite its promise, biore mediation is not a magic reme dy, Hahn said. Because thepr^ cess uses living microbes ii break down the oil, it is onlyel- fective in certain situations. "Several things are necessai) for the process to work," Hall said. "A carbon source, which the oil, nutrients, and enzymes to make the 'bugs' grow faster. "They will be most effective in areas with poor accessibility "Results have been so positive that we just received $2.5 million from the Department of Defense to develop a program that will use bio-remediation to break down nerve gas, — Dr. James Bonneroflh A&M Civil Ertgineeriy Departmat where physical cleanup ani chemical agents can't be usd,' he said. "They will be excellent for oil-damaged soil around well blowouts, in marshes and remote areas." Bioremediation will never replace all other forms cleanup, because eachcasehas specific conditions that mayor may not be favorable ‘ isms to work, Bonner said. Oil spills on the open ocean would be particularly for microorganisms to break up. "The problem withspilk the open ocean is that the bup need nutrients in order to break down hydrocarbons," hesaid "Because of the oceancurrenls and huge areas involved,the hugs go one way, the nutrient' go another, and the oil goesai> other. "On an oil-soaked bead however, the logistics are rigk for the nutrients and bugsle settle in and break down! oil," Bonner said. "There'sitol really another process that is more suitable for sue!a cleanup." GOING OUT OF THE LADIES : FINAL LE) FINAL REDUCTIONS! ENTIRE STOCK OF LADIES* MERCHANDISE DRESSES • BLAZERS • SKIRTS • PANTS • KNIT TOPS SHORTS • BLOUSES • SWEATERS • COORDINATES 50 % -80 % OFF EVERY BLAZER REG TO $185 $ 49 • EVERY SKIRT REG TO $100 $ 1 9 * EVERY PANT REG TO $110 $ 1 9 * EVERY SHORT REG TO $95 $ 15 • EVERY BLOUSE REG TO $105 $ 19 • EVERY DRESS REG TO $225 $ 25 • EVERY KNIT TOP REG TO $70 $ 7 • EVERY SWEATER REG TO $105 $ 69 $29 $ 89 $49 NONE HIGHER NONE HIGHER $29 $ 25 *49 $ 35 NONE HIGHER NONE HIGHER $29 $ 59 $ 35 $ 79 NONE HIGHER NONE HIGHER REG TO $105. $ 25 $29 NONE HIGHER NONE HIGHER I COMPLETE MEN’S LIQUIDATION SALE HOURS shellenberger’s 520 University Drive East • College Station HOURS £ MON-SAT 10-6 Vol. 91 Di says ward bill i has b ing 1- pest Pr e i Bush so m seem out way l Demc Gintc Pe blunt may i Perot seatec ing th ning i may 1 Cole of C; son Ini Tc hog Inter A&M rr than jus turn to i er *d of t: The " gram is student: a l expei can stui try. Dep ties is i n gram in uationa Americc Inter Pating i Americ countrv the difh tions. Dr. C student the p r0 £ P ro gran Ceasing