title: Significant spatial variability of bioavailable PAHs in water column and sediment porewater in the Gulf of Mexico 1 year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
abstract: One year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill accident, semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polyethylene devices (PEDs) were deployed in wetland areas and coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) to monitor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The measured PAH levels with the PEDs in coastal areas were 0.05-1.9 ng/L in water and 0.03-9.7 ng/L in sediment porewater. With the SPMDs, the measured PAH levels in wetlands (Barataria Bay) were 1.4-73 ng/L in water and 3.3-107 ng/L in porewater. The total PAH concentrations in the coastal areas were close to the reported baseline PAH concentrations in GOM; however, the total PAH concentrations in the wetland areas were one or two orders of magnitude higher than those reported in the coastal areas. In light of the significant spatial variability of PAHs in the Gulf's environments, baseline information on PAHs should be obtained in specific areas periodically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Ames Hall 313, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.|Department of Environmental Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 712-714, Republic of Korea.|National Aquarium Conservation Center, Baltimore National Aquarium, 501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA.
authors.forename: Yongseok
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Toxicology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wetzel
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Toxicology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA.
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Pulster
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Toxicology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA.
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reible
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Texas Southern University, New Science Center 203A, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX, 77004, USA.
authors.forename: Hyun-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Ames Hall 313, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: National Aquarium Conservation Center, Baltimore National Aquarium, 501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rifkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Ames Hall 313, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA. bouwer@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bouwer
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D060851:Gulf of America; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D015144:Southeastern United States; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polyethylene devices; Risk assessment; Semipermeable membrane devices