Air quality implications of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
During the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, a wide range of gas and aerosol species were measured from an aircraft around, downwind, and away from the DWH site. Additional hydrocarbon measurements were made from ships in the vicinity. Aerosol particles of respirable sizes were on occasions a significant air quality issue for populated areas along the Gulf Coast. Yields of organic aerosol particles and emission factors for other atmospheric pollutants were derived for the sources from the spill, recovery, and cleanup efforts. Evaporation and subsequent secondary chemistry produced organic particulate matter with a mass yield of 8 ± 4% of the oil mixture reaching the water surface. Approximately 4% by mass of oil burned on the surface was emitted as soot particles. These yields can be used to estimate the effects on air quality for similar events as well as for this spill at other times without these data. Whereas emission of soot from burning surface oil was large during the episodic burns, the mass flux of secondary organic aerosol to the atmosphere was substantially larger overall. We use a regional air quality model to show that some observed enhancements in organic aerosol concentration along the Gulf Coast were likely due to the DWH spill. In the presence of evaporating hydrocarbons from the oil, NO(x) emissions from the recovery and cleanup operations produced ozone.
Chemical Sciences Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO 80305, USA. Ann.M.Middlebrook@noaa.gov
Ann M
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Middlebrook
Daniel M
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Murphy
Ravan
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Ahmadov
Elliot L
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Atlas
Roya
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Bahreini
Donald R
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Blake
Jerome
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Brioude
Joost A
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de Gouw
Fred C
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Fehsenfeld
Gregory J
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Frost
John S
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Holloway
Daniel A
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Lack
Justin M
JM
Langridge
Rich A
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Lueb
Stuart A
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McKeen
James F
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Meagher
Simone
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Meinardi
J Andrew
JA
Neuman
John B
JB
Nowak
David D
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Parrish
Jeff
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Peischl
Anne E
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Perring
Ilana B
IB
Pollack
James M
JM
Roberts
Thomas B
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Ryerson
Joshua P
JP
Schwarz
J Ryan
JR
Spackman
Carsten
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Warneke
A R
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Ravishankara
D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D060851:Gulf of America; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D014481:United States
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D052638:Particulate Matter