title: Characterization of emissions and residues from simulations of the Deepwater Horizon surface oil burns.
abstract: The surface oil burns conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard from April to July 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico were simulated by small scale burns to characterize the pollutants, determine emission factors, and gather particulate matter for subsequent toxicity testing. A representative crude oil was burned in ocean-salinity seawater, and emissions were collected from the plume by means of a crane-suspended sampling platform. Emissions included particulate matter, aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans, elements, and others, the sum of which accounted for over 92% by mass of the combustion products. The unburned oil mass was 29% of the original crude oil mass, significantly higher than typically reported. Analysis of alkanes, elements, and PAHs in the floating residual oil and water accounted for over 51% of the gathered mass. These emission factors, along with toxicity data, will be important toward examining impacts of future spill burning operations.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA. Electronic address: gullett.brian@epa.gov.
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Gullett
authors.affiliation: University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, OH 45469, USA.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aurell
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greenwell
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conmy
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.affiliation: CSS-Dynamac, 1910 Sedwick Rd., Durham, NC 27713, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: The Penn State University, John and Willie Leone Family Dept. of Energy and Mineral Engineering, EMS Energy Institute, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Abrahamson
authors.affiliation: The Penn State University, John and Willie Leone Family Dept. of Energy and Mineral Engineering, EMS Energy Institute, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Randy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vander Wal
authors.affiliation: Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., 46 E. Hollister St, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holder
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005390:Fires; D060851:Gulf of America; D010578:Petroleum; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012623:Seawater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Deepwater Horizon; Emissions; In situ burns; Oil spill