Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Evolution Of The Optical Properties Of Seawater Influenced By The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill In The Gulf Of Mexico, Zhengzhen Zhou, Laodong Guo

Faculty Publications

The fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) technique coupled with parallel factor (PARAFAC) modeling and measurements of bulk organic carbon and other optical properties were used to characterize the oil components released from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to examine the chemical evolution and transformation of oil in the water column. Seawater samples were collected from the Gulf of Mexico during October 2010 and October 2011, three months and fifteen months, respectively, after the oil spill was stopped. Together with previous results from samples collected during the oil spill in May/June 2010, these time series samples …