OIL POLLUTION: PERSISTENCE AND DEGRADATION OF SPILLED FUEL OIL

The report discusses the hydrocarbon which is very slow, especially below the immediate sediment surface. It appears to proceed principally through microbial utilization of alkanes and through partial dissolution of the lower-boiling aromatic hydrocarbons. The boiling range of the spilled oil and the relative abundances of homologous hydrocarbons (for example, phytane and pristane) have been well preserved. The findings are in agreement with the known geochemical stability of hydrocarbons.(Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Also available in Science, V176, pp 1120-1122, 9 June 1972.
• Corporate Authors:

  Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

  Woods Hole, MA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Blumer, M
  • Sass, J
• Publication Date: 1972-3-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 6 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biodeterioration; Environmental impacts; Habitat (Ecology); Oceans; Oil spills
• Old TRIS Terms: Biological effects (Oil); Marine ecology
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041501
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: WHOI-Contrib-2835 Tech Rpt
• Contract Numbers: N00014-66-C-0241, NSF-GA-19472
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 2 1973 12:00AM