Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

If I wanted to do a science fair project measuring the effect of various algae in using bioremediation to clean oil (which oil should be used, non-toxic please), how would I go about doing it? What algae should be used and how do I utilize them? How would someone go about doing an experiement like this? Could the removal of the oil be measured simply through using a scale?

Hi,

That's an important question. I think the first step is to do more literature research (google search, pubmed, etc). Read up on what oil is released in oil spills (e.g. petroleum, etc), current methods for bioremediation, and try to understand what problems exist currently for bioremediation. Once you understand the problems, think of ways to improve upon that and then go about choosing algae and oils, etc.