Natural cleanup of heavy fuel oil on rocks: an in situ experiment

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 46; no. 8; pp. 983 - 990
• Main Authors: Jézéquel, R., Menot, L., Merlin, F.-X., Prince, R.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Accidents; Aliphatic hydrocarbons; Applied sciences; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bunker C; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecology, environment; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel Oils; Fuel Oils - analysis; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons - analysis; Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Life Sciences; Marine; Natural cleanup; Natural degradation processes; Natural water pollution; Oily rocks; Oxidation-Reduction; Photochemistry; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Seawaters, estuaries; Water Pollution; Water Pollution - prevention & control; Water treatment and pollution; Bretagne; Finistère; France; Europe; Atlantic Ocean; France, Brittany, Brest Bay; ANE, France, Brittany, Brest Bay; France, Brest Harbor; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Natural cleanup; Natural degradation processes; Aliphatic hydrocarbons; Oily rocks; Bunker C; Biodegradation; Oil spill; Littoral zone; Petrous bone; Aliphatic compound; Pollutant behavior; Harbor; Dissolution; Coastal zone; Correlation analysis; Selfpurification; Chemical composition; Aromatic compound; Water pollution; Solar radiation; Photooxidation; Heavy oil; Seawater
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(03)00115-2

Changes in the chemical composition of a heavy fuel oil, Bunker C, exposed to the elements for 556 days in the vicinity of Brest Harbour (France, (48°18 ′ N, 4°32 ′ W)) have been studied. Samples with exposure to full or reflected sunlight, and in the dark, were analysed by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and compared with the initial oil. Using hopane as a conserved internal standard, an average of more than 56% of the total hydrocarbon in the residual stranded oil had been removed in the 556 days. The results indicate that dissolution, biodegradation and photooxidation all play important roles in the weathering process, with their respective contributions depending on the exposure.