FATE OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN BEACH SAND

The fate of the petroleum hydrocarbons from Chevron bunker fuel has been studied in natural beaches, sand-containing lysimeters, and laboratory experiments. The importance of various physical, chemical and biological processes for the dispersal and degradation of spilled bunker fuel has been evaluated. Studies at four sampling locations on three beaches in the San Francisco area affected by oil from an 840,000 gal spill of Chevron bunker fuel have shown that the size of the bacterial population and distribution of bacterial genera within the beach was unaffected by the petroleum hydrocarbons remaining in the beach sand after completion of the cleanup operation. A correlation between the background oil concentration and the bacterial population is suggested. The importance of bacterial degradation of the oil entrained within a beach has been studied using lysimeters implanted in a beach to control erosion. (Author Modified Abstract)

• Corporate Authors:

  Naval Biomedical Research Laboratory

  Oakland, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Guard, H E
  • Cobet, A B
• Publication Date: 1972-5-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 94 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bacteria; Beaches; Biodeterioration; Chemical analysis; Cleaning; Deterioration; Hydrocarbons; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopes; Oil spill cleanup; Oil spills; Oils; Sand; Water pollution
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lysimeters
• Geographic Terms: San Francisco Bay
• Old TRIS Terms: Beach cleaning; Bunker oils; Mass spectrum; Oil degradation; Oil pollutions
• Subject Areas: Environment; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00046593
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt
• Contract Numbers: N00014-69-A-0200-100, DOT-CG-13,337
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 31 1974 12:00AM