TY - JOUR
T1 - Petroleum Hydrocarbon Persistence Following the emDeepwater Horizon/em Oil Spill as a Function of Shoreline Energy
AU - Evans, Meredith
AU - Liu, Jiqing
AU - Bacosa, Hernando
AU - Rosenheim, Brad E.
AU - Liu, Zhanfei
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - An important aspect of oil spill science is understanding how the compounds within spilled oil, especially toxic components, change with weathering. In this study we follow the evolution of petroleum hydrocarbons, including n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs, on a Louisiana beach and salt marsh for three years following the Deepwater Horizon spill. Relative to source oil, we report overall depletion of low molecular weight n-alkanes and PAHs in all locations with time. The magnitude of depletion, however, depends on the sampling location, whereby sites with highest wave energy have highest compound depletion. Oiled sediment from an enclosed bay shows high enrichment of high molecular weight PAHs relative to 17α(H),21β(H)-hopane, suggesting the contribution from sources other than the Deepwater Horizon spill, such as fossil fuel burning. This insight into hydrocarbon persistence as a function of hydrography and hydrocarbon source can inform policy and response for future spills.
AB - An important aspect of oil spill science is understanding how the compounds within spilled oil, especially toxic components, change with weathering. In this study we follow the evolution of petroleum hydrocarbons, including n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs, on a Louisiana beach and salt marsh for three years following the Deepwater Horizon spill. Relative to source oil, we report overall depletion of low molecular weight n-alkanes and PAHs in all locations with time. The magnitude of depletion, however, depends on the sampling location, whereby sites with highest wave energy have highest compound depletion. Oiled sediment from an enclosed bay shows high enrichment of high molecular weight PAHs relative to 17α(H),21β(H)-hopane, suggesting the contribution from sources other than the Deepwater Horizon spill, such as fossil fuel burning. This insight into hydrocarbon persistence as a function of hydrography and hydrocarbon source can inform policy and response for future spills.
KW - Petroleum hydrocarbon
KW - Weathering
KW - Wave energy
KW - Oil spill
KW - Salt marsh
KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)
UR - https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2443
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.022
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.022
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.11.022
M3 - Article
C2 - 27894726
VL - 115
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
ER -