Natalie Batty, Westminster College
Biology
Hydrocarbon metabolizing microbes play a critical role in bioremediation and bio-augmentation projects. In 1978, Brock et al. identified microbes in the Great Salt Lake (GSL) capable of metabolizing hydrocarbons, but since then these microbes have gone unstudied. This research has isolated and identified bacterial species capable of hydrocarbon metabolism from GSL. Though capable of survival in the high salt concentration of the Great Salt North Arm, we have demonstrated that these species are also capable of thriving in low salt concentrations. This research will continue with the characterization process to identify what hydrocarbon sources each species is capable of degrading.