Chemical characterization of natural and anthropogenic-derived oil residues on Gulf of Mexico beaches

Oil residues originating from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) incident persist on Gulf of Mexico beaches alongside oil from offshore industrial activity, natural seepage, and asphalt from parking lots and roads. To determine the primary differences in the chemical composition of these oil residues, a va...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2018-12, Vol.137, p.501-508
Main Authors: Morrison, Alexandra E., Dhoonmoon, Charvanaa, White, Helen K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical methods
Anthropogenic factors
Asphalt
Bathing Beaches
Beaches
Chemical analysis
Chemical composition
Chromatography, Thin Layer
Coastal environments
Coastal zone
Deep water
Deepwater Horizon
Detection
Flame ionization
Fourier transforms
Gas chromatography
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Gulf of Mexico
Hydrocarbons - analysis
Hydrocarbons - chemistry
Infrared analysis
Infrared spectroscopy
Ionization
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectroscopy
Offshore
Oil
Organic chemistry
Petroleum
Petroleum - analysis
Reflectance
Residues
Seepage
Seeps
Southeastern United States
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
Tar
Thin layer chromatography
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
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Summary:Oil residues originating from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) incident persist on Gulf of Mexico beaches alongside oil from offshore industrial activity, natural seepage, and asphalt from parking lots and roads. To determine the primary differences in the chemical composition of these oil residues, a variety of samples were collected from beaches from Florida to Alabama over a two-year period from 2015 to 2017. Bulk chemical characteristics of the oil residues were examined via gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and mass spectrometry (GC–MS), as well as thin layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). These bulk chemical analyses revealed features unique to the different sample types, expanding our understanding of the chemical composition and variability of persistent oil residues, and providing a means to detect and monitor their long-term fate in the coastal environment. •Oil residues on Gulf coast beaches originate from anthropogenic and natural sources.•Deepwater Horizon oil residues continue to persist and oxidize in the environment.•Bulk chemical analysis can be used to rapidly distinguish different oil residues.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.051