Investigating the Change in Vanadium and Nickel Concentrations in Sea-Floor Sediment collected from the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf between the Years 2009 and 2011
Abstract
Preliminary analysis indicates a change with time in vanadium and nickel concentrations present in sea-floor sediment samples which were collected during the falls of 2009, 2010, and 2011 along the continental shelf of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. These samples bracket the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill which occurred during the summer of 2010. The samples were collected as part of the recurring NOAA Small Pelagics Survey of the continental shelf from Texas to Florida. A Shipek grab sampler was used to retrieve fifty-four (54) sediment samples from the upper 6 inches for analysis. The samples were analyzed for six trace metals (nickel, vanadium, lead, thallium, chromium, and mercury). A comparative analysis of the trace metal concentrations indicates that there is a statistically significant increase in vanadium concentration in sea-floor sediment after the oil spill, and the vanadium-nickel ratio (V/(V + Ni)) increased as well. Crude oil is known to contain vanadium and nickel, and there ratio has been used as a fingerprint for the crude oil source. We propose that the change detected between the falls of 2009 and 2011 was related to the Deepwater Horizon Well release. The degrading crude oil and despersant became a new source of vanadium and nickel in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.H11G1262S
- Keywords:
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- 1800 HYDROLOGY;
- 4299 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL / General or miscellaneous