Well now:
A rapidly growing viscous mass has been found in a wetland that is part of a conservation area in Nova-Scotia.
We have uncovered a mass that would seem to fibrous in texture like some algae, but cream-white in colour. It has grown 600% within 5 days, and kills everything it touches.
A local community group, with the help of the environmental company I work for, have been frantically trying to find similar occurrences, with no result. Environment Canada has now stepped in to help, but are clueless. Lab results are pending and rather slow.
I have suggested to contain the area with some silt barrier to try to reduce the spread. Although we are not fully aware of what we are dealing here, I would like to remove it and incinerate it, but we are not yet certain of the contamination source, so if it will re-occur. One possibility is the composting facility upstream, but so far this is the only phenomenon observed. There are no other symptoms of contamination. We would greatly appreciate information on it, and possible risks during extraction, if anybody has a clue. We need to proceed with the extraction as soon as possible.
Thanks
from the BioDigest listserv today
baba durag | 04.25.08 - 1:36 pm
I've been telling you and telling you guys this day would come!! But would people listen? NooOOooO....
10 comments:
If it'll bring back Steve McQueen, I'm all for it.
On or off his motorcycle?...
Does the thing have two viscous wheels, a viscous crank, viscous pedals, a viscous seat and viscous handlebars? It could be a viscous cycle...
ellroon: Here's the latest on Teh Viscous Blob from Steve McQueen:
Subject: BG: Can anyone identify this?
I am posting the following on behalf of ******. Please feel free
to reply directly to ****** or the Listserver.
Regards,
***********
Senior Technical Specialist
Moderator, Bioremediation Discussion Group
A rapidly growing viscous mass has been found in a wetland...in Nova-Scotia.
[It] would seem to be fibrous in texture...[and is]...cream-white in colour. It has grown 600% within 5 days, and [has] kill[ed] [any surrounding plants] it touches...Lab results are pending. There are no other symptoms of contamination.
We would greatly appreciate [any] information on it [anyone can provide], and possible risks during extraction.
Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
UPDATE 1:
(from original poster)
[Laboratory tests were made on the slime/mass, and the groundwater upwelling beneath it, for the following information:]
-- potentially ecotoxic [chemical] compounds,and
-- luminescent bacterium light output
.........................
The major ecotoxic chemical [present] in the upcoming groundwater was sulfide at 52 ug/L.
The only detectable toxic compound in the produced slime (other than some
moderate acidity) was 4-methycresol (p-cresol) which is a known byproduct
from the (aerobic bacterial) consumption of petroleum hydrocarbons.
Samples of slime exhibited a Microtox(TM) EC50 (light output 50% of
standard) at >100 times dilution and EC10 (light output 905of standard) in
the range 11 - 22 times dilution.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
RESPONSE 1:
(from Australia)
It is possible this is essentially a mass of biofilm exuded by a mixed
consortium of aerobic bacteria driven by (fed by) an underlying gaseous
emission rich in methane but with a minor hydrogen sulfide component beneath
it i.e. coming up into the base of the wetland.
FYI, about 10 years ago I was called in to assess and deal with a strangely
'artesian' borehole. The borehole had been in the process of being drilled
by the mining company BHP Billiton through a thick Triassic sandstone known
to contain small lenses of hydrocarbons and significant amounts of
hydrocarbons, principally methane.
As the borehole, which had already encountered a non-artesian aquifer at a
higher level was subsequently being drilled deeper it encountered an
underlying pressurized gas-bearing zone. The gas pressure then caused a
continuous 'geyser' of methane-saturated water at the wellhead.
This geyser immediately reacted, at and round the wellhead, with oxygen to
produce a large and ever-expanding mass of aerobic bacteria embedded in an
even larger mass of viscous biofilm. Traces of hydrogen sulfide in the
upcoming methane were also being oxidized bacterially within this mass, thus
rendering it relatively acidic and hence killing any grasses, shrubs etc
which it came into contact with.
Interestingly, was almost no appreciable odor of hydrogen sulfide around the
mass of biofilm and hydrogen sulfide could only just be detected if one
boldly 'attacked' the (3 - 4 m high, 10 m wide) mass of biofilm with a spade
or shovel. I did this just once - before getting thoroughly hosed down by
some laughing roughneck drillers!
This mass of viscous 'goo' (also called 'super snot' by some of the
astonished roughnecks) quickly grew so big as to then ooze downhill into a
nearby gully where it slowly disintegrated and dried up.
This geyser (and growth of the aerobic bacterial 'goo') continued for
approximately 3 months until the upcoming water/gas combination subsided!
It is conceivable that either a significant mass of methane hydrate
containing trace hydrogen sulfide lies beneath the wetland or even some sort
of fault or a fissure has opened up into an underlying methane gas-bearing
stratum and this might be the root cause of this interesting occurrence.
Regards
Steve
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RESPONSE 2:
(source unclear)
After checking this data I would recommend the addition of Hydrated lime to raise pH to 7.5
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RESPONSE 3:
(from Australia)
I would recommended use [of] agricultural lime (i.e.finely ground limestone; CaCO3) to ameliorate any potential acidity [in the wetland.]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RESPONSE 4:
(from the US)
Why are we proposing adding lime to raise the pH to
7.5? Are we interested in slaying the humongous mystery fungus, or have
we moved on to a bioremediation application where we want to keep the pH
between 6.5 and 8.5?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RESPONSE 5:
(from the US)
That makes sense. The agricultural lime would be ideal for a surface
application like this and it is very cheap. Our Neutral Zone would work,
but it is expensive and would turn the wetland milky white. Even one percent solids suspended in water is
quite a dramatic opaque white color.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RESPONSE 6:
(from Australia)
From: Steve Short [mailto:steve@ecoengineers.com]
The true logic behind a (modest) use of fine ground agricultural lime
(limestone) is really not so much to provide buffering of any incidental
acidity under such circumstances but (in my view) more because the mystery
biofilm/fungus may be associated (as I suggested) with an up welling of
methane containing hydrogen sulfide with, or without, an associated
groundwater also containing dissolved hydrogen sulfide (H2S(aq)) in the
usual (Henry's Law) equilibrium with the H2S(g) in the gas phase.
Alternatively, sulfide may be being generated in the wetland by the action
of S[ulfate] R[educing] B[acteria] driven by a spot source of upwelling methane.
...snip...
The ambient pH in the wetland is likely to be quite low due to humic acids
etc - possible in the range 5 - 6. The addition of limestone will raise the
pH to at least 8 i.e. By at least 2 pH units, thus reducing the
concentration of the eco- and phytotoxic H2S(aq) by at least a factor of
10^2, possible as much as 10^3.
Regards
Dr Steve Short
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
/eof
does this blob go into movie theatres?
Thanks, Baba. That was fascinating. A biofilm no longer means a biographical movie... unless it's about The Blob!! (/crashing discordant organ chords)
With the melting of the permafrost, and the release of methane, ancient bacteria and more unknown goodies, we will probably be seeing other exciting developments ... like The Thing!
Steve, it's only a viscous cycle if you adhere to your bicycle.
Dcap, just watch where you sit. If your neighbor tries to eat not only your popcorn but also your leg...
Move.
Hey sir..
really really cool stuff..
this blog info is really excellent..
thank you.
regards,
swathi
Thanks, swathi Discover Card person! I am sorry you have such a tedious job, but then, you get to read all sorts of blogs and make comments.
Post a Comment