Aerostat Sampling of PCDD/PCDF Emissions from the Gulf Oil Spill In Situ Burns

Emissions from the in situ burning of oil in the Gulf of Mexico after the catastrophic failure of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform were sampled for polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF). A battery-operated instrument package was lofted into the plumes of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2010-12, Vol.44 (24), p.9431-9437
Main Authors: Aurell, Johanna, Gullett, Brian K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollutants - analysis
Applied sciences
Benzofurans - analysis
Carbon
Chemical Hazard Release
Composite materials
Deepwater drilling
Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated
Dioxins
Emissions
Environmental Measurements Methods
Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental Restoration and Remediation
Exact sciences and technology
Incineration
Oceans and Seas
Oil
Particulate Matter - analysis
Petroleum
Pollution
Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analogs & derivatives
Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analysis
Toxicity
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Summary:Emissions from the in situ burning of oil in the Gulf of Mexico after the catastrophic failure of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform were sampled for polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF). A battery-operated instrument package was lofted into the plumes of 27 surface oil fires over a period of four days via a tethered aerostat to determine and characterize emissions of PCDD/PCDF. A single composite sample resulted in an emission factor of 2.0 ng toxic equivalency (TEQ) per kg of carbon burned, or 1.7 ng TEQ per kg of oil burned, determined by a carbon balance method. Carbon was measured as CO2 plus particulate matter, the latter of which has an emission factor of 0.088 kg/kg carbon burned. The average plume concentration approximately 200−300 m from the fire and about 75−200 m above sea level was
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es103554y