Metabolomic investigations of anaerobic hydrocarbon-impacted environments.

Metabolomics is a powerful tool for the assessment of expressed (in vivo or in situ) biological processes. Metabolite profiling is often employed during field investigations of hydrocarbon-laden environments for the purpose(s) of determining the extent of intrinsic or enhanced natural attenuation of contaminants, developing remediation strategies, and/or gaining a better understanding of microbial processes. During the last twenty-five years, the elucidation of anaerobic biodegradation pathways has not only provided metabolic and molecular biomarkers for environmental assessments of anaerobic hydrocarbon metabolism, but also an avenue for integrative field studies. The combination of metabolomics with compound-specific isotope analysis, molecular surveys and/or microcosm studies has demonstrated the need for multiple assessment methods for better resolution of in situ microbial activity.