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    Moss (Brachythecium sp.) and a filamentous green algae (Oedogonium sp.) as bunker oil sorbents
    Bautista, Norwell Brian C. (Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2007-04)
    Oil spills are very catastrophic and very destructive events. One way of controlling the dispersion of oil from these spills is by the use of sorbents. The procurement of commercial sorbents can be very costly. Thus, this study analyzed and evaluated the efficiency and effectivity of moss (Brachythecium sp.) and a green filamentous algae Oedogonium sp. as substitutes for commercial sorbents. Brachythecium sp. can grow in any moisture—rich environment and Oedogonium sp. algae grow freely in fish ponds and in any body of stagnant, oxygen-poor water. Thus, both samples are very abundant in the environment. Sorption capacity results showed that the moss Brachythecium sp. and the algae Oedogonium sp. can sorb five times and seven times its weight, respectively. In comparison, Peat Sorb, a commercial sorbent, was recorded to sorb 15 times its weight (Emedco, 2007). The minimum sorption capacity of the moss and algae samples was recorded to be approximately equal to their weight. The adsorption isotherms of both samples follow the Langmuir plot for monolayer adsorption. In the hexane capillary rise experiment, hexane rose significantly in ground moss (72.25 mm in 7 min.) and unground moss (64.80 mm in 7 min.) compared with unground algae (23.52 mm in 7 min.) and (20.70 mm in 7 min.), indicating that moss is more hydrophobic. In water, capillary rise, on the other hand, unground algae is a better medium (5.76 mm in 4 min) compared to the rest (ground algae - 4 mm, unground moss - 5.29 mm, and ground moss — 4.11 mm, all in 4 min.). Results also revealed that the moss Brachythecium sp. and the algae Oedogonium sp. expressed hydrophobic characters in the hexane-water system by remaining in the hexane layer after agitation. The moisture content of the algae (14.85%) is twice that of moss (7.94%). This gives the moss an advantage in oil sorption. The lipid contents of algae (15.58%) and moss (11.47%) do not comprise the majority of their biomass, but the lipids aid in increasing the samples’ affinity for non-polar substances. The samples may not sorb as effectively as the commercial sorbents, but they are abundant in the environment, thus, a cheaper alternative. Like Peat Sorb, which was processed from the biomass of Sphagnum sp. moss, the samples may undergo the same process that increases the hydrophobicity several-fold and gives oil-biodegradation capabilities.
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    Fungal pathogens associated with Sonneratia alba: A comparative study between oiled and unoiled sites within Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMAR), Nueva Valencia, Guimaras
    Albacete, May Therese F. (Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2009-03)
    Majority of researches on impacts of oil spills on mangroves focused on the immediate post-spill acute effects. However, the persistence of oil in sediments at oil spill sites has been reported in a number of published works. As such, this remaining oil could serve as source of stress to mangroves resulting into the expression of sub-lethal effects such as changes in foliage and canopy, abnormalities in reproductive structures among others. Furthermore, oil in mangroves also has the potential of increasing fungal attacks due to their impairment of natural defense mechanisms such as salt removal from leaves and trunks. Thus, this study was conducted to determine if there was a difference in fungal species composition and frequency of occurrence of fungal population of mangrove leaves collected in oiled and unoiled areas within Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras following the spill that occurred in August I1,2006. Fungi from diseased leaves of Sonneratia alba were isolated and characterized using Acidified Potato Dextrose Agar (APDA) for samples collected in January 2009 only. A total of 7 and 6 species were identified from among the isolates in oiled and unoiled sites. Although there is a little difference in species composition, almost all the isolated species was frequently occurring in both oiled and uncoiled sites. Gliomastix morurom (5.8%) in the unoiled site was only frequently occurring. The results may imply that difference in frequency of occurrence of certain species might be an indicator for sub-lethal effects of oil but needs further investigations to consider environmental factors among other factors.