Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
9-2011
Journal / Book Title
23rd International Symposium on Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Münster, Germany
Abstract
Operators aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform lost control of the Macondo No. 1 well about 90 km southwest of the Louisiana coast on April 20, 2010, leading to a catastrophic release of ca. 550 Gg of crude oil over the next 86 days [1]. Oil from the spill soon found its way to nearby coastal areas, leaving tarry deposits on beaches and marshes. Oil was reported on the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama (180 km northeast of the well) on June 5 and the relatively fresh sample discussed herein (GSA) was collected that same day. Oil reached the beach at Grand Isle, Louisiana (180 km east of the well) by May 24, 2010 and the sample (GIL) was collected on Jan. 15, 2011, i.e., about six months after the flow of oil was staunched at the well site. These two tar samples were analyzed directly, without preparation or clean-up, using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) in order to evaluate the usefulness of this technique for rapid forensic characterization of beach tars at spill sites. In this case, the pyrolysis temperature of 610 °C primarily induced vaporization of compounds present with relatively minor formation of pyrolytic artifacts. The analyses revealed a complex suite of polycyclic aromatic compounds, along with acyclic alkanes and both saturate and aromatic biomarkers.
The total ion current trace of the fresher sample (GSA) exhibits a series of C16-C32 n-alkanes above a pronounced hump due to an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of hydrocarbons, whereas in the case of the more weathered sample (GIL), only the UCM is visible, indicating an advanced stage of biodegradation. Distributions of hopanes, tricyclic terpanes, and steranes in both samples show little evidence of degradation and correlate well, indicative of a common origin. The monoaromatic and triaromatic steroid distributions are also very similar in both samples. Differences are evident in the relative proportions of alkylated phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene isomer clusters, as well as in the proportions of individual isomers, particularly among the dimethyl. In contrast, the C0-C3 alkylchrysenes display only minor differences between the two samples. Given that the biomarkers indicate that both samples are of about the same thermal maturity, the observed variations most likely arise due to differences in the severity of degradation. Such alterations must be considered when undertaking forensic evaluations of weathered oil. The Py-GC/MS technique appears to adequately resolve the essential similarities and differences between the two samples.
1) New York Times, 2010. Tracking the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/05/01/us/20100501-oil-spill-tracker.htm
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Kruge, Michael A., "Effects of Weathering on Aromatic Compounds in Beach Tars from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster, Gulf of Mexico Coast, USA" (2011). Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 624.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/earth-environ-studies-facpubs/624
Published Citation
Kruge M.A., 2011, Effects of weathering on aromatic compounds in beach tars from the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Gulf of Mexico coast, USA. 23rd International Symposium on Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, University of Münster, Germany, Sept. 4-8. (Abstracts, p. 68)