title: A tale of two recent spills--comparison of 2014 Galveston Bay and 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill residues.
abstract: Managing oil spill residues washing onto sandy beaches is a common worldwide environmental problem. In this study, we have analyzed the first-arrival oil spill residues collected from two Gulf of Mexico (GOM) beach systems following two recent oil spills: the 2014 Galveston Bay (GB) oil spill, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. This is the first study to provide field observations and chemical characterization data for the 2014 GB oil spill. Here we compare the physical and chemical characteristics of GB oil spill samples with DWH oil spill samples and present their similarities and differences. Our field observations indicate that both oil spills had similar shoreline deposition patterns; however, their physical and chemical characteristics differed considerably. We highlight these differences, discuss their implications, and interpret GB data in light of lessons learned from previously published DWH oil spill studies. These analyses are further used to assess the long-term fate of GB oil spill residues and their potential environmental impacts.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Civil Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Civil Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joel S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hayworth
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Civil Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America.
authors.forename: T Prabhakar
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Clement
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis; D061006:Bays; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060851:Gulf of America; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D013781:Texas; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical