Hydrocarbons in sediments from the edge of the Bermuda platform
Surficial and subsurface (10-13 cm) sediment samples were taken at seven stations (17 cores) on the northern margin of the Bermuda seamount, remote from ship traffic, beaches, and atmospheric fallout from aircraft. Their aliphatic (pentane-extractable) hydrocarbon content was very low, comparable with samples from the North Atlantic Abyssal plain, and two orders of magnitude lower than for typical coastal samples. About half of the aliphatic hydrocarbons are clearly biogenic, and the remainder are characteristic of petroleum residues. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations are lower in subsurface (e.g., 0.11 jg/g dry weight) than surface samples (0.47 jg/g), and are lower outside the reef (0.25 jg/g) than inside (0.47 jg/g). These results are qualitatively consistent with a diffusion model. Extremely rapid bioturbation or totally quiescent deposition on a stable sedimentary facies can pobably be eliminated as hypotheses for the deposition and transport mechanism within the sediment. Further studies are needed to determine whether degradation is important.
- Research Organization:
- Harv. Univ./Bermuda Biol. Stn.
- OSTI ID:
- 6631298
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-7903164-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Pet. Inst., Publ.; (United States), Vol. 4308; Conference: Oil spill conference: prevention, behavior, control, cleanup, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 19 Mar 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
02 PETROLEUM
HYDROCARBONS
DISTRIBUTION
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SEDIMENTATION
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
BERMUDA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
COASTAL WATERS
DIFFUSION
PETROLEUM
SEAS
WATER POLLUTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
ISLANDS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
UNITED KINGDOM
WESTERN EUROPE
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects