Abstract:

This project aims to understand the physico-chemical characteristics of oil spill sediments such as oil contaminated soil which have been collected from various locations of Gulf of Mexico. We have extensively employed state-of-the-art analytical techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), BET Autosorb surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) and Particle Size Analysis to explore the physical, structural, microstructural, chemical and surface properties of different oil spill sediments obtained from the Deep Water Horizon (DWH) sites. The purpose of this research is to examine the level and type of oil contamination that affect the beach or ocean soil which needs to undergo rigorous treatment or cleaning processes. We have also investigated and characterized the tarmats and tarballs which are collected from the Alabama shoreline during the recent Lee Hurricane in 2011.