Is crude oil bioremediation affected by changes in ambient ultraviolet radiation?

Biodegradation of Iranian light crude oil using an oleophilic fertilizer (F 1) was investigated in two 30-day runs in a mesocosm simulation of a typica l Mediterranean shore in the winter and spring periods of 1996 and 1997, At the end of the 30-day periods alkane biodegradation was dramatic (70%) and statistically significant only in the first run (November-December). Given that the fluctuations in all other parameters were minimal, the notable re duction in biodegradation efficiency during the second run is thought to be related to the nearly three-fold increase in total dose of solar UV-B radi ation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.