A tale of two recent spills--comparison of 2014 Galveston Bay and 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill residues

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 2; p. e0118098
• Main Authors: Yin, Fang, Hayworth, Joel S, Clement, T Prabhakar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 25-02-2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Alkanes - analysis; Bays; Beaches; Biodegradation; Biomarkers; Chemical spills; Civil engineering; Comparative analysis; Crude oil; Environmental engineering; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Fundulus grandis; Gulf of Mexico; Marine pollution; Oil spills; Oils & fats; Petroleum Pollution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Residues; Ships; Shorelines; Texas; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Matagorda Island; United States > US; Texas; Galveston Bay; Louisiana; Gulf of Mexico; Florida; Alabama
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118098

Managing oil spill residues washing onto sandy beaches is a common worldwide environmental problem. In this study, we have analyzed the first-arrival oil spill residues collected from two Gulf of Mexico (GOM) beach systems following two recent oil spills: the 2014 Galveston Bay (GB) oil spill, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. This is the first study to provide field observations and chemical characterization data for the 2014 GB oil spill. Here we compare the physical and chemical characteristics of GB oil spill samples with DWH oil spill samples and present their similarities and differences. Our field observations indicate that both oil spills had similar shoreline deposition patterns; however, their physical and chemical characteristics differed considerably. We highlight these differences, discuss their implications, and interpret GB data in light of lessons learned from previously published DWH oil spill studies. These analyses are further used to assess the long-term fate of GB oil spill residues and their potential environmental impacts.