Abstract:

The data is the residual concentrations of alkanes of PAHs when crude oil was incubated in surface seawater sampled near the Deepwater Horizon site. The study was conducted for 45 days and exposed under the natural sunlight in the Gulf of Mexico. It aims to determine the oil degradation as a result of photooxidation and biodegradation by natural bacterial communities.

Suggested Citation:

Hernando Bacosa, Deana Erdner, Zhanfei Liu. 2016. Residual alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during photooxidation and biodegradation of crude oil. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7765CC1

Publications:

Bacosa, H. P., Erdner, D. L., & Liu, Z. (2015). Differentiating the roles of photooxidation and biodegradation in the weathering of Light Louisiana Sweet crude oil in surface water from the Deepwater Horizon site. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 95(1), 265–272. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.04.005

Purpose:

To determine the relative contribution of photooxidation and biodegradation in the disappearance of oil in surface water.

Data Parameters and Units:

PAH and n-alkane concentration (% relative to initial concentration); Time (days)

Methods:

The bottle used for the incubation is 100-mL amber glass for dark treatments and 100-mL quartz glass for light treatments. Each bottle contains 50 mL of seawater and amended with/without oil or Corexit dispersant with the following description: Dark-control: 50 mL of filtered seawater incubated in the dark Dark-oil: 50 mL of unfiltered seawater+200 mg/L of oil incubated in the dark Dark-oil+dispersant: 50 mL of unfiltered seawater+200 mg/L of oil + 10 mg/L of Corexit incubated in the dark Light-control: 50 mL of filtered seawater incubated under sunlight Light-oil: 50 mL of unfiltered seawater+200 mg/L of oil incubated under sunlight Light-oil+dispersant: 50 mL of unfiltered seawater+200 mg/L of oil + 10 mg/L of Corexit incubated under sunlight All bottles were incubated under the natural sunlight and flowing seawater in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

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