Science Inventory

EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS AND MINERAL FINES ON CRUDE OIL DISPERSION IN A WAVE TANK UNDER BREAKING WAVES

Citation:

LI, Z., P. KEPKAY, K. LEE, T. KING, M. C. BOUFADEL, AND A. D. VENOSA. EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS AND MINERAL FINES ON CRUDE OIL DISPERSION IN A WAVE TANK UNDER BREAKING WAVES. C. Sheppard (ed.), MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 54(7):983-993, (2007).

Impact/Purpose:

To investigate the effects of chemical dispersants and mineral fines on the dispersion of oil and the formation of oil-mineral-aggregrates (OMAs) in natural seawater.

Description:

The interaction of chemical dispersants and suspended sediments with crude oil influences the fate and transport of oil spills in coastal waters. A wave tank study was conducted to investigate the effects of chemical dispersants and mineral fines on the dispersion of oil and the formation of oil-mineral-aggregates (OMAs) in natural seawater. Results of ultraviolet spectrofluorometry and gas chromatography flame ionized detection analysis indicated that dispersants and mineral fines, alone and in combination, enhanced the dispersion of oil into the water column. Measurements taken with a laser in-situ scattering and transmissiometer (LISST-100X) showed that the presence of mineral fines increased the total concentration of the suspended particles from 4 to 10 µl l-1, whereas the presence of dispersants decreased the particle size (mass mean diameter) of OMAs from 50 to 10 µm. Observation with an epifluorescence microscope indicated that the presence of dispersants, mineral fines, or both in combination significantly increased the number of particles dispersed into the water.

Record Details:

Record Type:DOCUMENT( JOURNAL/ PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL)
Product Published Date:07/01/2007
Record Last Revised:06/02/2008
OMB Category:Other
Record ID: 163572