Abstract:

Pensacola beach sand was added to 6 core liners, 3 of which were the controls (beach sand only) and 3 of which contained oil (weathered crude oil). Three weeks later, 6 sediment cores were collected at the study site. The upper portion of each core was replaced by one of the 6 core liners previously prepared topped off with non-oiled sand. The cores were sealed at the top with a gas-vented lid and at the bottom with gauze. Cores were driven vertically into the holes they were collected from. Gasses were measured using a LICOR LI-840A carbon dioxide analyzer and a Hach rigid oxygen optode sensor. This dataset contains oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and groundwater level recorded from low tide to the following low tide (May 31st, 2014 to June 1st, 2014). This dataset supports the publication: Huettel, M., Overholt, W.A., Kostka, J.E., Hagan, C., Kaba, J., Wells, W.B., & Dudley, S. (2018). Degradation of Deepwater Horizon oil buried in a Florida beach influenced by tidal pumping. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 126, 488-500. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.061

Suggested Citation:

Markus Huettel. 2018. The effect of sedimentary oil degradation on O2 consumption and CO2 production measured using an in situ flux chamber at Pensacola Beach, June 2014. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7GQ6W8M

Publications:

Huettel, M., Overholt, W. A., Kostka, J. E., Hagan, C., Kaba, J., Wells, W. B., & Dudley, S. (2018). Degradation of Deepwater Horizon oil buried in a Florida beach influenced by tidal pumping. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 126, 488–500. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.061

Purpose:

Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production reflect aerobic decomposition processes. The in-situ flux chamber experiment tested the hypothesis that tidal pumping enhances the inflow of air into the dry beach and the release of carbon dioxide. Comparison of gas exchange in sediment with and without buried oil was used to assess whether buried oil increases oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide release in the beach.

Data Parameters and Units:

Beach breathing field data.xlsx: Groundwater level: Time (HH:MM), Groundwater level (cm) Beach O2 CO2: Time (HH:MM), Oxygen (umol/L), Carbon dioxide (ppm), Control, Oil Beach calibrated averages: Time (HH:MM), Oxygen (per core, umol/L), Carbon dioxide (per core, umol/L), Control, Oil, Average, Standard deviation

Methods:

Weathered crude oil: 0.4 g kg− 1, 190 g TPH m− 2, oil weathered through exposure to day light and evaporation for 6 months

Individual Files: