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LSU Master's Theses

2014

MC252

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Biogeochemical Controls On Fate Of Subsurface Oiled Sands On A Coastal Headland Beach, Autumn Anastasia Westrick Jan 2014

Biogeochemical Controls On Fate Of Subsurface Oiled Sands On A Coastal Headland Beach, Autumn Anastasia Westrick

LSU Master's Theses

The fate of subsurface oiled sands collected from Fourchon Beach in Louisiana were determined while modifying biogeochemical controls on the degradation of PAHs. Groundwater on the beach has intrinsically low dissolved oxygen concentrations, which may limit natural biodegradation of the crude oil components. The intent of this research was to characterize the biogeochemical properties and degradability of oiled sands (with >10% of pore filled with MC252 oil) using a combination of laboratory flow-through reactor studies, field measurements and time-series microelectrode profiles of down-flow and cross flow geometries. Reactor experiments indicate that optimal conditions for substantial oil degradation are aerobic under …


Biogeochemical Controls On Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil In Coastal Wetland Systems, Matthew Paul Rodrigue Jan 2014

Biogeochemical Controls On Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil In Coastal Wetland Systems, Matthew Paul Rodrigue

LSU Master's Theses

Weathering of MC252 oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is taking place in coastal Louisiana marsh and mangrove wetland systems. Alkylated phenanthrenes and dibenzothiophenes, which are the most prominent PAHs found at MC252 contaminated sites, are weathering at rates up to 5% per year relative to alkylated chrysenes 3 years after initial oiling. Flux chambers at marsh locations trapped CO2 that exhibited δ13C signatures lower than indigenous organic matter signifying hydrocarbon mineralization to CO2. Weathering rates at each of these locations are heavily influenced by the biogeochemistry of the surrounding environment. High-resolution nutrient profiles were obtained at different locations …


Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil After Mobilization By Washover Events On Coastal Headland Beaches, David Nelson Curtis Jan 2014

Biodegradation Of Mc252 Crude Oil After Mobilization By Washover Events On Coastal Headland Beaches, David Nelson Curtis

LSU Master's Theses

Washover events on coastal headland beaches occur when storm surge from cold fronts, high tides, tropical storms, and hurricanes move across the beach, reworking and depositing sand in the back marshes and shallow mudflat areas. On Fourchon Beach, Louisiana, a 9-mile coastal headland beach impacted by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill, these washover events have intermittently moved oil from the subtidal and intertidal portion of the beach to the supratidal mudflats and marsh areas. In order to determine the impacts of washover events on oil fate, 3 complementary studies were undertaken. First, washover areas (N=59) have been mapped and …