Low-Volatility Compound Evaporation from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in April-August 2010 provided an unusual opportunity to study secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation on a large scale. Chemicals with differing volatility, evaporating at different rates, were spatially separated and released to the atmosphere at different locations. The resulting distribution of vapor and aerosol phase organic compounds were measured during research flights of the NOAA WP-3D aircraft over the Gulf in June 2010 (de Gouw et al., 2011). Known volatile SOA precursors (C8 to C11 hydrocarbons) were measured in a thin plume downwind of DWH. SOA was measured in a much wider plume, indicating contributions from less volatile compounds evaporating further from the source. Estimates of semi- and intermediate- volatile compound evaporation rates from the oil spill have been improved using a component-wise first-order kinetics model in which the evaporation rate of a compound is proportional to both its vapor pressure and mole fraction. The model was validated through proton-transfer-reaction ion-trap mass spectrometer measurements of evaporating South Louisiana crude oil and calibration mixtures of aromatic compounds. These new evaporation rate estimates highlight several concepts important to a revised interpretation of the June 2010 aerosol measurements. The rates of evaporation (and thus atmospheric concentrations) of low-volatility compounds did not necessarily reflect surface distribution. Low volatility compounds reached peak evaporation rates at appreciable distances from the source, and the area from which significant amounts of chemical were emitted was larger than previously thought.