Aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediment cores from the southern basin of Lake Michigan

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10141721· OSTI ID:10141721

Doskey, P V ^[1]; Andren, A W ^[2]

---

1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Research Division
2. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Water Chemistry Program

Aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the southern basin of Lake Michigan have planktonic, terrigenous, and petroleum residue origins. Surficial sediments collected near the eastern shore in 60-80 m of water contained more petroleum residue and planktonic hydrocarbons and exhibited less terrigenous character than sediments collected from the deepest location in the basin. Petroleum residue inputs have increased since 1900 as evidenced by a change in the flux of an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of hydrocarbons from 6 ng/cm{sup 2}{center_dot}yr to a flux of approximately 100 ng/cm{sup 2}{center_dot}yr in 1980. Sediment profiles of the UCM exhibited subsurface concentration maxima that may be due to reduced inputs of combustion products or feeding by oligochaetes. Profiles of n-C{sub l7} and pristane indicated that planktonic n-alkanes undergo degradation in the aerobic, mixed zone of the sediments.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10141721
• Report Number(s): ANL/ER/PP--74676; ON: DE94009814
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320
ALKANES
CARBON SOURCES
CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
HYDROCARBONS
LAKE MICHIGAN
PETROLEUM RESIDUES
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEDIMENTS