United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Research
Laboratory
Narragansett Rl 02882
Research and Development
EPA-600/S3-82-012 Sept. 1982
Project Summary
Petroleum Contamination:
Quantification and Passive
Tagging in Organisms
and Sediments
John W. Farrington and Bruce W. Tripp
The Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution is engaged in various
aspects of research in the coastal and
deep ocean, including the study of
environmental problems that result
from man's activities. The results
reported here demonstrate the
analytical difficulties encountered
when attempting to measure anthro-
pogenically-derived hydrocarbons at
concentration levels close to the levels
of naturally occurring hydrocarbons.
This report describes an analytical
area in a state of flux, one in which
methodological improvements are
being made continuously.
This report was submitted in
fulfillment of Grant No. R-802724 by
Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution under the sponsorship of
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. This report covers the period
July 1. 1973 to February 28, 1976,
and work was completed as of
January 1979.
This Project Summary was
developed by EPA's Environmental
Research Laboratory, Narragansett.
Rl, to announce key findings of the
research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).
Introduction
Petroleum and petroleum products
are being used in increasing amounts.
and the trend is forecast to continue for
at least two decades. Even with the
application of new technology and
greater care, there will be accidental
spills of petroleum and small leaks in
the production, transportation, and
disposal systems. Federal agencies
such as the EPA need analytical
methods for monitoring and invest-
igating the geographical extent of such
spills and leaks. Evaluation of the
reliability and limitations of analytical
methods is important and helps to
insure valid interpretation of chemical
analyses for petroleum hydrocarbons.
In this project, some aspects of the
problems of analyzing for low
concentrations of petroleum in
organisms and sediments are dealt with
(1 to 10 ug/g wet weight organism or 1
to 10 ug/g dry weight of sediment). A
brief investigation was also made of the
use of some passive tagging
measurements to corelate the low
concentrations of petroleum with
possible sources.
Petroleum pollution in the oceans
caused growing concern in the late
1960's and early 1970's and required a
variety of studies on the input, fate, and
effects of petroleum in the marine
environment. The need to have
adequate methodology to measure one
to one hundred parts per million (wet
weight) of petroleum pollution in
organisms and similar concentration
Tevels in sediments was recognized
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early in those studies. The authors
began research on some aspects of this
measurement problem. The problem
was approached by first thoroughly
reviewing available knowledge of
naturally occurring biosynthesized
hydrocarbons and the composition of
petroleum and petroleum products.
Experiments and evaluation tests were
then designed in the laboratory and in
the field for the development of methods
to detect petroleum hydrocarbons at
various levels m the presence of bio-
synthesized hydrocarbons m organisms
and sediments.
Conclusions and
Recommendations
A review of hydrocarbons in the
marine environment is presented in the
report with the goal of providing a
background for evaluating methods for
the measurement of petroleum
pollution in marine organisms and
sediment. Comparisons are made of
extraction, isolation and measurement
procedures applied to hard shell clams
(Mercenaria mercenaria) and near-
shore and estuarme sediments. Gas
chrornatographic, gas chromatographic-
mass spectrornetric, and U.V.
fluorescence techniques were used to
analyze the hydrocarbons isolated by
these procedures.
The analytical procedures were
applied to surface sediments from the
continental slope, shelf, and near-shore
areas of the northeastern United States.
The extent of chronic petroleum
contamination was estimated as was
the historical record of petroleum
contamination in selected areas via
depth distribution measurements in
sediment cores.
The extent of chronic petroleum
contamination in selected areas via
depth distribution measurements in
sediment cores.
The methods were also applied to
mtertidal marsh sediments from areas
contaminated by two different No. 2 fue
oil spills. The absolute concentratioi
changes and relative compositioi
changes in aromatic hydrocarbons art
reported for time intervals of six year;
after one spill and two years after i
second spill. The influence of weather-
ing processes on a few passive tagging
parameters was also investigated.
John W. Farrington and Bruce W. Tripp are with Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution. Woods Hole, MA 02543.
Peter Rogerson is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Petroleum Contamination: Quantification and
Passive Tagging in Organisms and Sediments," (Order No. PB 82-254 087;
Cost: $15.00, subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rl 02882
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Postage and
Fees Paid
Environmental
Protection
Agency
EPA 335
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use S300
0000329
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