Terpane biomarkers and carbon isotopes in environmental geochemistry-application of a case study from Prince William Sound, Alaska
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- California Dept. of Fish & Game, Rancho Cordova, CA (United States)
Geochemical studies in Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill have provided information that is being used to interpret preliminary environmental geochemical observations made in coastal California. Although the shorelines of Prince William Sound still retain traces of the 1989 oil spill, most of the flattened tar balls that can be found today on these shorelines are not residues of Exxon Valdez oil. Rather, the hydrocarbon-biomarker and carbon-isotopic signatures of these tar balls have remarkably similar characteristics that are consistent with those of oil products that originated from Monterey Formation source rocks of California. Some of these products were spilled into the sound during the 1964 Alaskan earthquake. Selected terpane biomarker ratios and carbon isotope composition of whole oil samples can geochemically distinguish Exxon Valdez residues from the tar balls. Results are discussed.
- OSTI ID:
- 437368
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960807--
- Journal Information:
- National Meeting - American Chemical Society, Division of Environmental Chemistry, Journal Name: National Meeting - American Chemical Society, Division of Environmental Chemistry Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 36; ISSN NMACDY; ISSN 0270-3009
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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