Abstract:

This dataset contains organic geochemical analyses of sediments collected aboard R/V Point Sur cruise PS18-25 from the South and Southeast of the Macondo Wellhead in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) from 2018-05-18 to 2018-05-23. The dataset includes the site information (date, site ID, and location), and the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) and biomarkers (hopanes, steranes, alkanes). Samples were collected with a multiple corer (Ocean Instrument MC-800 Multicore) from different stations in south and southeast of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) release point. The amount of DWH oil-derived hydrocarbons that was deposited in the study area was determined by measuring the composition and concentration of compounds such as aliphatics, aromatics, hopanes, and steranes in various layers of sediments. Detection and quantification of hydrocarbons were done by using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometric detector (GC/MS/MS-MRM). Cruise documentation was provided for the R/V Point Sur cruise PS18-25, led by chief scientist Dr. Arne Diercks. The objective was to characterize the fate of the DWH marine oil snow deposited on the seafloor in offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Suggested Citation:

Isabel Romero. 2019. Organic geochemical analyses of sediments collected aboard R/V Point Sur cruise PS18-25 in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2018-05-18 to 2018-05-23. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-6bfd-g305

Publications:

Diercks, A. R., Romero, I. C., Larson, R. A., Schwing, P., Harris, A., Bosman, S., … Brooks, G. (2021). Resuspension, Redistribution, and Deposition of Oil-Residues to Offshore Depocenters After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.630183

Romero, I. C., Chanton, J. P., Brooks, G. R., Bosman, S., Larson, R. A., Harris, A., … Diercks, A. (2021). Molecular Markers of Biogenic and Oil-Derived Hydrocarbons in Deep-Sea Sediments Following the Deepwater Horizon Spill. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.637970

Purpose:

To better understand the fate of contaminants in the Gulf of Mexico deep-sea environments

Data Parameters and Units:

Site ID, Longitude (Decimal Minutes), Latitude (Decimal Minutes), and the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) and biomarkers (hopanes, steranes, alkanes) in units of ng/g, dw.

Methods:

Detection and quantification of hydrocarbons using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometric detector (GC/MS/MS-MRM)

Instruments:

Agilent 7680B gas chromatograph interfaced with an Agilent 7010 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC/MS/MS)

Individual Files: