Multilevel characterization of marine microbial biodegradation potentiality by means of flow-modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.

The present research is focused on the use of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (QqQ MS) coupled with flow modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (FM GC × GC) for a multilevel elucidation of biodegradation potentiality of natural marine microbial populations during a bioremediation (biostimulation) treatment. The crude oil used for the evaluation of the bioremediation process, namely Dansk Blend Pier E1, represents a very complex sample. Hence, in order to understand the metabolic activity of microbial populations during the bioremediation process, a GC × GC system was used. The high separation power has allowed a detailed characterization of the different chemical families; moreover, thanks to the high acquisition frequency of the QqQ MS spectrometer, both full scan and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) data were acquired in the same run. By using this system, both qualitative analysis of untargeted hydrocarbons mixture (crude oil) and qualitative analysis of biomarker compounds, present in low amount and often hindered under the bulk of the sample (i.e. adamantanes, diamantanes, steranes and hopanes), were performed simultaneously. The bioremediation capability of biostimulated bacteria was evaluated at four (T), eight (T) and fourteen (T) days. Progressive degradation of linear, branched, and aromatic hydrocarbons, adamantanes, and diamantanes has been showed, whereas, results underline the lack of any kind of activity against steranes, and hopanes.