-------
FIGURES
NUMBER TITLE PAGE
16 Chromatogram of Sediment Beals Cove
Survey III 37
ff
17 Chromatogram of Clams (Mya arenaria)
Beals Cove Survey III 38
18 Chromatogram of Water Beals Cove Survey I. 39
19 Chromatogram of Water Beals Cove
Survey III 40
20 Chromatogram of Sediment Long Island
Survey 1 41
21 Chromatogram of Sediment Long Island
Survey II 42
22 Chromatogram of Sediment Long Island
Survey III 43
23 Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey 1 45
24 Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey II 46
25 Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey III 47
26 Chromatogram of Water Long Island
Survey 1 48
27 Chromatogram of Water Long Island
Survey III 49
28 Chromatogram of Sediments Bailey Island
Survey 1 51
29 Chromatogram of Sediments Bailey Island
Survey II 52
30 Chromatogram of Sediments Bailey Island
Survey III 53
vi
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FIGURES
NUMBER TITLE PAGE
31 Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Bailey Island Survey II 54
32 Chromatogram of Water Bailey Island
Survey 1 55
33 Chromatogram of Water Bailey Island
Survey III 56
34 Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey 1 57
35 Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey II 59
36 Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey III 60
37 Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Long Island Survey III 61
38 Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Bailey Island Survey III. 62
39 Chromatogram of Dog Whelks (Thais lapillus)
Long Island Survey II 63
40 Chromatogram of Dog Whelks (Thais lapillus)
Long Island Survey III 64
41 Chromatogram of Fucus Long Island
Survey III 66
42 Chromatogram of Fucus Bailey Island
Survey II 67
43 Chromatogram of Ascophyllum Cow Island
Survey II 68
44 Chromatogram of Ascophyllum Cow Island
Survey III 69
45 Chromatogram of Ascophyllum Bailey Island
Survey II ,. 70
vii
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FIGURES
NUMBERS TITLE PAGE
46 Chromatogram of Water Mid-Bay Surface
Survey 1 72
" A
47 Chromatogram of Water Mid-Bay 30 ft Depth
Survey I 73
48 Chromatogram of Sand From West Beach
Surface Survey III 76
49 Chromatogram of Sand From West Beach
20 - 30 cm Survey III 77
50 Benthic Sediment Profiles (gm Retained per
100 gm of Sample) 80
51 Size Frequency of Mya for Contaminated and
Control Sites 84
52 Benthic Sediment Profiles (gm Retained per
100 gm of Sample) 85
53 Oil Incidents on the Coast of Maine 95
viii
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TABLES
NUMBER TITLE PAGE
1 Log of Oil Cleanup Operations 10
2 Quantitative Hydrocarbon Analysis
Intertidal Mud Flats 27
3 Quantitative Hydrocarbon Analysis
Subtidal Stations 44
4 Quantitative Hydrocarbon Analysis
Rocky Intertidal Stations 58
5 Total Hydrocarbons in Water From the
Mid-Sound Area 71
6 Quantitative Hydrocarbon Analysis
Long Island Beach Sand 74
7 Field Temperatures and Salinities 79
8 Benthic Stations 81
9 Intertidal Rock Stations 87
10 Recolonization of Sloping Rock Stations
(By Zones) and Vertical Rock Stations
(Whole Station) 90
11 Numbers of Dead Birds Counted on Rookery
Surveys 92
12 Key To Figure 51: Recent Oil Spills
Which have been Reported by The Natural
Resources Council of Maine 96
ix
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SECTION I
CONCLUSIONS
1. The marine communities in the oiled areas were adversely
affected to varying degrees. The relative order of
disturbance ranging from most to least severe was:
a. intertidal mud flats
b. intertidal rocky areas, especially in
the algae and barnacles
c. sub-tidal benthic. communities
2. Plants and animals in spill affected areas accumulated
oil.
3. Delays in removing oil from ^e^ch sand on Long Island
resulted in penetration of oil into the sand.
Consequently, a six-inch layer of oiled sand had to be
removed to prevent the beach from releasing oil back into
the water.
4. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected at 10 meters, indicating
the ability of spilled oil to disperse to these depths.
5. Gull mortalities were higher than would be expected for
non-spill conditions and a large percentage of the dead
birds in the rookeries were oil-covered.
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SECTION II
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. To evaluate the biological impact of an oil spill and the
related cleanup operations* an initial survey should be
conducted immediately after the spill, another one year
later, and possibly another two years after the event.
2. Major oil ports should establish effective procedures for
dealing with oil spills within their vicinity. Such
procedures should include stockpiling the equipment
necessary to contain and remove t*he oil and the
logistical support required to transport this equipment
to the spill. The capability for promptly off loading
damaged or threatened vessels must also exist.
3. If oil ends up on the beaches, removal operations should
be initiated as soon as possible to reduce penetration
into the beach and leaching of oil back into the water.
4. The response of potential indicator organisms, such as
amphipods, to various concentrations and types of oil
should be identified along with variations in their
natural habitat, so that they may be used as indicator
organisms.
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SECTION III
INTRODUCTION
The Accident:
At approximately 0120 EDT on July 22, 1972, the 810 ft
Norwegian tanker Tatnano, owned by Wilh Wilhelmsen of Oslo,
Norway and under charter to Texaco, Inc., grazed Soldiers
Ledge in Hussey Sound, Casco Bay, Maine, tearing a 20 ft by 8
ft hole near the turn of the bilge in the No. 1 starboard wing
tank which contained approximately 12,000 barrels of No. 6
fuel oil of the low pour variety. The vessel, with a maximum
draft of 58 ft registered a mean draft of 44 ft on approaching
the Sound, where the Pilot's Association sets a maximum draft
limitation of 55 ft. Soldiers Ledge lies at 40 ft (MLW),
marked by a lighted buoy. The accident went unnoticed until
0200 when Tamano anchored in the Hussey Sound Anchorage, 2600
yards north of Long Island, Casco Bay, and oil was seen
escaping from beneath the hull. The pilot immediately
notified Sea Coast Ocean Services, a local cleanup contractor,
and by 0530 booms were deployed from the bow to midships. U.
S. Coast Guard (USCG) personnel arrived on scene at 0400 and
by 0930, upon direction from the Coast Guard OnScene
Coordin -ปr (OSC), the ship was completely boomed. This
action a^ -red adequate until 23 July, 1972, when Coast Guard
overflights revealed that oil from beneath the Tamano hull was
escaping to the surface beyond the booms. The OSC, in
cooperation with Texaco, Inc., then called contractors from
the Boston area for additional booms and skimmers. Auxiliary
pumps were called in to assist Tamano in transferring oil from
the damaged tank to other tanks, and skimmers commenced
removing the oil from within the booms. The damaged tank was
cleared of cargo by 25 July. Oil within the booms was removed
and discharge of cargo was completed on 3 August, 1972. The
Tamano cleared port for drydocking on 4 August, 1972. An
initial report estimated the official loss of oil at 40,000
gallons. A later report stated that 100,000 gallons of oil
escaped with 70,000 gallons of good oil being recovered. Due
to the inaccuracies in estimating the amount of oil escaping
into the environment or recovered in removal operations, the
quantity of oil lost could be even greater than the reported
30,000 gallons.
Purpose of the Study:
This short-term (3-1/2 months) field study was undertaken for
the purpose of providing the EPA with information and
-------
assessment in the following categories:
1. Effectiveness of oil spill control and cleanup measures
taken immediately after the accident to keep the damage to
the environment at a minimum;
2. Evidence of immediate and acute damage to the biota of the
affected area and indications for long-range effects;
3. Data on the fate and effects of an oil spill in a specific
location under specific conditions for use in the EPA's
long-term program to develop an improved understanding of
oil spills and their potential dangers under various
conditions of weather, tidal currents and emergency
response.
This survey was not intended as a comprehensive research
effort on sublethal or long-term effects, such as the loss of
reproductive capacity in survivors of the spill or rendering
of the substrate unsuitable for the recruitment of young
stages.
Movement of Oil:
During the first day (22 July), oil went ashore on the islands
immediately surrounding the Tamano which was anchored midway
between Long Island (C) and Clapboard Island (L), (See Figures
1 and 2). The waterborne oil was dispersed by tidal currents
and by the second day (23 July), about 60% of Hussey Sound (M)
was covered with heavy black streaks and rainbow films. The
oil was still escaping from beneath the vessel. The affected
area expanded northward to Cousins Island (N) and eastward to
Cliff Island (0), while scattered pockets followed the
non-tidal drift patterns southward from Spring Point (P) to
Cape Elizabeth and Crescent Beach. By the third day (24
July), this southward drift had reached Prouts Neck near Old
Orchard Beach (Figure 2).
During an overflight by VAST, Inc. personnel on 25 July (4th
day), heavy concentrations were still very apparent within
Hussey Sound, while lighter streaks and patches stretched
southward and eastward, (Figure 2). There was little evidence
of oil north of Cousins Island or Great Chebeague (Q). Six
days after the spill (28 July), two large slicks still
remained in the vicinity of the Tamano, extending towards
Mackworth Island (R). Oil was still escaping from beneath the
vessel. Crescent Beach to the south received another major
slick. The southward movement continued to the beaches at
-------
Cape Porpoise (Kennebunkport), and by 29 July the oil had
reached Ogunquit. With the departure of the ship on 4 August,
more oil escaped from beneath her hull. Several recovery
operations were attempted with limited success. Much of the
unrecovered oil washed ashore in the Long Island area.
Thus, the pattern was one of concentric spreading of the oil
outward from the moored vessel, which continued to be a source
of fresh oil for fourteen days until she departed the area.
In the absence of unusual weather conditions or strong winds,
the oil was distributed by the tidal currents and the
non-tidal drift currents. In all, the contamination included
46 miles of coastline from Falmouth to York, and 18 islands in
Casco Bay (McCann, 1972).
Federal and Local Response:
The U. S. Coast Guard was the first governmental agency to be
notified of the oil spill from the Tamano. At 0243 on 22
July, 1972, the Coast Guard was notified of the spill by the
Portland Pilots. Coast Guard personnel were on the scene at
0400. Captain D. J. McCann, USCG, the predesignated On-Scene
Coordinator (OSC), arrived at the Coast Guard Base, South
Portland, to assume those duties at 0500, 22 July, 1972, after
being notified of the spill at 0430, 22 July, 1972. The
necessary action was taken on 22 July to activate the RRT in
accordance with the National and Regional Contingency Plans
and to alert federal, state and local agencies, including
representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, Region
I, who were notified at 0600, 22 July, 1972. The Coast Guard
Atlantic Strike Force was also notified. The OSC made two
helicopter overflights, one at 0815 and the second at 1600 on
22 July, 1972. The OSC ordered additional booming as a result
of the 0815 helicopter inspection and the additional booming
was in place by 0930 on 22 July, 1972. The EPA Region I
representatives arrived on the scene on July 22, 1972. The
EPA and USCG representatives boarded the Tamano and sampled
the contents of the holed tank. The OSC overflew the area
again on 23 July, 1972, and noted that the situation had
changed and that oil was swept under the boom by the current
and tidal action. The OSC ordered two additional contractors
from Boston to supplement the equipment of the local
contractor. The OSC notified the ship's agents and Texaco of
these actions. The OSC held a meeting on 23 July, 1972, with
all interested parties to formulate plans for cleanup
operations. The OSC instituted a 24-hour USCG watch onboard
the Tamano and requested that a "Notice To Mariners" be issued
to warn all vessels from entering an area one mile in radius
-------
FIGURE 1
Casco Bay
Location of the Accident (I). The Tamano at Anchor (II), Movement
Oil Slicks within Casco Bay during the First Three Days
following the Tamano Spill, and Sampling Stations
(See Legend)
of
Control
Area
' '24th* 25'h
|A-Sloping Rock, Cow Island
B-Intertidal Mud, Cow Island
C-Vertical Rock, Long Island
D-Benthic Sampling.Station, Long Island
E,F,G-Rookeries
H-Vertical Rock, Bailey Island (Control)
I-Sloping Rock, Bailey Island (Control)
K-Clara Flat, Beals Cove, Orrs Island (Control)
W-Mid-Bay Water
X-West Beach
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FIGURE 2
Movement of Tamano Oil along the Coast of Maine
Fa.lmouth. & &ffi
^W * &?
//... ..-. :/:*. vvCrescent Beach
Y^j^^iii^^Cape Elizabeth (July 23rd)
Prouts Neck (July 24th)
Porpoise (July 28thJ
Kennebunkport
VlOgunquit (July 29th)
Beach
Portsmouth
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from position 43-42-33N, 70-10-23W, and including a warning
for mariners to be on the lookout for oil booms and equipment
in Hussey Sound. On 24 July, 1972, an overflight of the area
was made by OSC and EPA representatives. Conferences were
scheduled with the OSC, EPA and cleanup contractors and Texaco
to review and coordinate the cleanup operations. On 25 July,
1972, further joint coordination and evaluation meetings and
overflights were conducted by the OSC and the EPA
representatives. The EPA contracted with VAST, Inc., on 25
July, 1972. Meetings to coordinate - the cleanup and
overflights were made, as required. On 1 August, 1972, the
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, commenced a sonar sweep of
Hussey Sound to check for uncharted hazards to navigation.
The EPA, together with the Maine Sea and Shore Fisheries and
the Maine Environmental Protection Department, conducted a
joint survey on 1 August, 1972. The Maine Department of
Inland Game conducted surveys on the 24, 25, 27, 28 and 31st
of July, 1972. On 3 August, 1972, the Corps of Engineers, U.
S. Army, reported to the OSC the sweep of Hussey Sound was
complete and that no uncharted obstacles were located.
The EPA conducted surveys between 1 August and 17 August,
1972, and submitted written recommendations for cleanup
procedures to the OSC on 17 August, 1972. These
recommendations for cleanup were forwarded to the
representatives of the ship's owners on 18 August, 1972, by
the OSC. The EPA representatives observed oil from West
Beach, Long Island, leaching back to the water column on 24
August, 1972, and recommended to the OSC that sand removal
operations begin immediately. On 29 August, 1972, the OSC
notified the ship's agent that the sand from West Beach, Long
Island, be removed with the alternative that the OSC would
begin to remove the sand in 24 hours. On 30 August, 1972, the
ship's representatives sought a restraining order in Federal
District Court to prevent the government from taking such
action. The OSC, EPA oceanographer and lawyer, and a USCG
lawyer appeared in court on 31 August, 1972. The restraining
order was not granted, however, the court gave the ship's
agents nine (9) days to develop a satisfactory alternative.
The ship's agents then proceeded to conduct an experiment for
removing oil which consisted of mixing sorbent into the beach
and then floating it out with the rising tide. This
experiment, described in detail by Welsh and Lee (1972), was
carefully monitored by the EPA and its consultants and was
determined to be unsuccessful.
On 15 September, 1972, the, CG made arrangements for the
removal of the sand from West Beach, Long Island. Monitoring
8
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of the cleanup operations continued until 16 October, 1972,
the final beach inspection was conducted by the EPA and the
EPA's beach consultant, Carl Foget of URS, Research Co., San
Mateo, California.
Containment and Cleanup Operations:
Table 1 is a log of cleanup operations following the spill in
Casco Bay. When the pilot boat of Portland Pilots, Inc.,
first noticed oil escaping from the Tamano at 0200 on 22 July,
they immediately notified Sea Coast Ocean Services (SOS) of
the spill. Tamano began to pump oil from the ruptured tank to
other available tanks on the ship. SOS dispatched a speedboat
to investigate the size and the nature of the spill and began
mobilizing men and equipment. At 0300 the SOS speedboat
radioed for a full barge of booms and rigging which arrived at
the ship at 0410 with the 1200 feet of 3 ft containment boom.
Collection and removal of surface oil began immediately.
However, after completely circumnavigating the vessel more oil
was discovered toward the starboard bow indicating the
probable location of the leak.
At daylight a helicopter from Maine Helicopter Service was
used to assess priorities in the cleanup operations. An SOS
diver was unable to investigate the damage because of the
thick layer of oil trapped beneath the hull. As the first
boom was not long enough to surround the ship, the OSC, after
aerial inspection requested complete booming, SOS sent for
additional equipment from Cianbro Corporation and Texaco.
Cianbro Corporation also furnished air compressors, pumps,
barges and men for beach cleaning. The oil was believed
sufficiently contained by the evening of 22 July and removal
of oil from the boom continued through the night. By 23 July,
however, helicopter flights revealed substantial additional
oil escaping. The OSC surmised that oil trapped beneath the
hull was being moved out from underneath the vessel by the
currents and rising to the surface beyond the booms. He
decided that the containment of the spill was beyond the
capabilities of the equipment available and activated
additional contractors and equipment from the Boston area, as
well as an additional 1,000 ft boom from Portland Pipeline.
At 1600 on 23 July, Coastal Services of Massachusetts became
the prime cleanup contractor, with SOS performing duties as
subcontractor. The cargo in the damaged tank was removed by
25 July. Before Tamano sailed on 4 August, attempts were made
to force the trapped oil from beneath her hull using
compressed air. This was only marginally successful, because
oil escaped when the ship was moved.
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TABLE 1
LOG OF OIL CLEANUP OPERATIONS
CASCO BAY, MAINE
TIME (EDT)
DATE
ACTIVITY
0120
0200
0200
0243
0300
0400
0410
0430
0500
0530
0600
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
Tamano struck Soldiers Ledge in
Hussey Sound.
ป
Accident first noticed when Tamano
anchored.
Pilot notified Sea Coast Ocean
Services (SOS).
Tamano began to transfer from
damaged tank.
SOS dispatched a speed boat to
investigate the nature of spill
and began to mobilize men and
equipment.
Portland Pilots notified USC6 of
the oil spill.
SOS -boat radioed for a full barge
of booms and rigging.
USC6 personnel arrive on the scene.
Booms and rigging arrive at the
scene.
Captain D. J. McCann, USCG, pre-
designated On-Scene Coordinator
(OSC) was notified of the spill.
OSC arrived at Coast Guard Station,
South Portland, to assume duties.
Booms placed from bow to midship
of Tamano.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region I, was notified.
10
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TABLE 1
TIME (EOT)
DATE
ACTIVITY
daylight
0815
0930
1600
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
22 July 1972
1600
22 July 1972
23 July 1972
23 July 1972
23 July 1972
Maine Helicopter Service was used
to assess priorities in cleanup
operations.
OSC made first overflight of the
spill.
Tamano completely boomed upon
direction of OSC.
OSC made second overflight of the
spill. Coastal Services of
Massachusetts became the prime
cleanup contractor with SOS
serving as a subcontractor.
Oil washed ashore on the islands
in the immediate vicinity of the
Tamano anchorage. EPA represen-
tatives arrived on the scene.
USCG and EPA representatives
boarded the Tamano and sampled
the contents of the damaged tank.
Overflight by USCG aircraft showed
that oil was escaping from the
hull of the Tamano and surfacing
beyond the booms deployed on 22
July 1972. OSC, in cooperation
with Texaco, Inc., called
contractors in the Boston area for
additional booms and skimmers.
Beach cleanup began.
Additional pumps were called to
assist transfers of oil from
the damaged tank to other tanks
on the Tamano.
Waterborne oil was dispersed by
tidal action and 60% of Hussey
Sound was covered with heavy,
black streaks and rainbow films.
Affected areas included: Cousins
Island to the east; southward
11
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TABLE 1
TIME (EDT)
DATE
ACTIVITY
23 July 1972
23 July 1972
24 July 1972
25 July 1972
25 July 1972
25 July 1972
29 July 1972
25-30 July 1972
24, 25, 27, 28
31 July 1972
1 Aug. 1972
from Spring Point to Cape
Elizabeth; Crescent Beach.
Meeting of interested parties
held to formulate cleanup plans.
24-Hour Coast Guard watch on
Tamano instituted and necessary
"Notice To Mariners" issued.
EPA and USCG representatives
made overflight of affected
area. Southward drift of oil
extended to Prouts Neck, near
Old Orchard Beach. Conference
with OSC, EPA, cleanup contractors
and Texaco, Inc., to review and
coordinate cleanup.
Additional coordination meetings
conducted by OSC and EPA repre-
sentatives. EPA contracted with
VAST, Inc., to make damage assess-
ment .
Aerial survey by VAST, Inc.,
personnel. Oil still in Hussey
Sound with streaks extending to
the south and east.
There was little evidence of
northward extension beyond Cousins
Island and Great Chebeague.
Damaged tank cleared of cargo.
Oil reached Ogunquit, Maine.
Coordination meetings were held
and overflights were made.
Maine Department of Inland Game
conducted surveys.
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army
conducted sonar sweeps of Hussey
Sound to check for uncharted
12
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TABLE 1
TIME (EDT)
DATE
ACTIVITY
1 Aug. 1972
3 Aug. 1972
4 Aug. 1972
1-17 Aug. 1972
17 Aug. 1972
18 Aug. 1972
24 Aug. 1972
29 Aug. 1972
30 Aug. 1972
hazards to navigation. Joint
survey conducted by EPA, Maine
Sea and Shore Fisheries and the
Maine Environmental Protection
Department.
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army
reported to OSC that no
uncharted hazards were located.
Oil within booms removed and
discharge of cargo completed.
Texaco, Inc., finds onshore
site to deposit oily debris.
Tamano cleared port for dry-
docking .
More oil escaped.
EPA conducted survey of cleanup
procedures.
EPA written recommendations for
cleanup procedures submitted to
OSC.
EPA recommendations forwarded
to representatives of ship's
owners.
EPA representatives observed oil
from West Beach, Long Island,
leaching back into water column
and recommended OSC begin
immediate sand removal in that
area.
OSC notified ship's agent that
sand be removed from West Beach,
Lond Island, or OSC would begin
sand removal in 24 hours.
Ship's agent sought restraining
order,to prevent government
from taking such action.
13
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TABLE 1
TIME (EOT)
DATE
ACTIVITY
31 Aug. 1972
11 Sept. 1972
13 Sept. 1972
15 Sept. 1972
16 Oct. 1972
OSC, EPA Oceanographer and Lawyer
and USC6 Lawyer appeared in court.
Restraining order not granted,
but ship's agents were given nine
(9) days to develop methods to
remove oil.
Ship's agents conduct experiment
to test method for beach cleanup.
USC6 made arrangements to remove
sand from West Beach.
Beach cleanup operations were
conducted.
14
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Beach cleanup operations began on 23 July. Straw was used to
absorb the oil both in the water and on the beaches. Barges
transported straw to the beaches and returned with trucks
filled with oil-soaked straw and debris for dumping on the
mainland. Oil-soaked straw, not picked up before the tide
reached it on the beaches, often floated to locations which
were otherwise unaffected. Skimmers used to remove oil from
the water surface became clogged when they encountered the
floating seaweed and oil-soaked straw. Small boats were also
deployed with crab nets to pick up the floating wrack.
The rocky coastlines were also cleaned by hot water in
pressure hoses. Problems were encountered, because although a
secondary source of water was used to help remove oil from
resettling on unaffected areas, some resettlement did occur.
Oil-soaked seaweed was harvested and raked into piles to be
dumped.
The most seriously affected beach was West Beach on Long
Island. The ship's agents, who took over responsibility for
cleanup from Texaco, Inc., on 11 September, conducted an
experiment in beach cleaning which has been described earlier
(Welsh and Lee, 1972) and was deemed unsuccessful. The beach
was subsequently cleaned by removal of the top six inches of
sand by 16 September.
Texaco was unable to find a disposal site for oily debris in
the Portland area until 3 August. Sand from West Beach was
shipped to sanitary land fill at Brunswick Naval Air Station,
Brunswick, Maine. The oily debris was burned at an approved
site in Gray, Maine.
Preliminary Survey:
The shore areas around Hussey Sound were inspected by the VAST
field team on 25 and 26 July, three and four days after the
spill. Most of the intertidal area was sloping or vertical
rock faces, except for West Beach, a long sandy strip on Long
Island immediately offshore from the anchored tanker. A very
small proportion of the immediate area could be considered mud
flat.
The vertical rock faces were heavily coated by a distinct band
of oil varying from 2 ft wide to six ft wide, beginning about
one ft below the high water mark. On the rock faces just
north of West Beach on Long Island, barnacles had apparently
died and were washed off the oiled zone, whereas outside that
15
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zone the barnacles appeared healthy. There were no snails.
Some Fucus was still attached within the oily band. Much
heavily oiled Fucus was floating about in the tidal currents,
stranded on floating objects, such as lobster buoys and coming
ashore on beaches. Some boats were deployed scooping up the
seaweed with crab nets and towed booms.
X
The sloping rock faces presented a greater area of intertidal
zone and proportionately greater areas received a heavy
coating of oil. Barnacles and Fucus were still ฑn place,
though heavily coated. Snails (Littorina) were present
throughout, but were unattached, lying with the closed
operculum upward rather than in their normal grazing position.
The sandy beach at Long Island, the most heavily contaminated
of the beaches in the immediate area, was paved with oil over
a swath of 80 - 90 ft wide, extending from about 8 ft below
the high tide line. The heavy oil penetrated to a depth of 4
- 6 inches. Below that the sand appeared clean. A swath had
been bulldozed clean, but was being reoiled through leaching
from the paved areas and continued leakage from the tanker.
Straw had been used to soak up the oil. This, too, was washed
off the beach and added to the oily seaweed wrack floating in
the water.
In the areas of mud flat visited on the northern shore of Cow
Island, the oil washed ashore and collected in the marsh
grasses inshore of the mud flats. No pavement was formed on
the sediment surface such as occurred on the beaches, but as
one walked across the flat, oil would ooze up out of the
sediments into freshly formed footprints.
Nature of the Field Study:
From the preliminary survey, it appeared that the biota of the
intertidal zones was in danger from both smothering ' and the
toxic effects of oil, while the subtidal areas could be
affected by dissolved oil in the water column, leaching from
the shore zones, sedimentation and offshore sediment
transport. A program was developed to monitor these potential
effects using chemical techniques to quantitatively determine
the presence of the pollutant. These were combined with
ecological techniques for detecting stress through changes in
abundance and species diversity, with special attention to
amphipods as indicative organisms.
16
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SECTION IV
METHODS
Field Methods:
Two rocky intertidal stations were established, (Figure 1),
one on a vertical rock face on Long Island and one on a
sloping rock on Cow Island. An intertidal mud station was
established on Cow Island, and a subtidal station was
established in 20 - 25 feet of water on the lobster grounds
north of Long Island. Comparable control stations were
established at Bailey and Orrs Islands to the northeast
(Figure 1).
Three surveys were conducted, 25 to 31 July; 6 to 13
September; and 1 to 5 November.
Samples were collected in duplicate, labeled and logged in
the field and initialed by two investigators. A chain of
custody procedure was followed such that each sample
contained its survey number in Roman Numerals and a sample
number in Arabic numbers. Upon return from the field,
biological samples were frozen; water and sediment samples
were refrigerated.
Special handling procedures were used with all samples for
chemical analysis. Plastic containers were avoided at all
steps. The glass bottles used for water and sediment were
cleaned according to procedures designated by the EPA Edison
Water Quality Research Laboratory. New bottles were washed
with detergent, rinsed sequentially in steam distilled water
(APHA spec), acetone, methanol and pentane (all Nanograde),
then air dried and capped. The caps were lined with aluminum
foil. Bottles that were reused in subsequent field trips
were washed with detergent and flushed with distilled water
and pentane. Biological samples were collected and stored in
aluminum foil.
Each of the rock stations were sampled by a direct count of
organisms within two 10 x 10 cm grids on each of the four
biotic zones of the intertidal surface. After counting, the
organisms within each grid were scraped from the rock and
returned to the laboratory for closer inspection. On the
first survey, a swath of rock, 1 1/2 feet wide, from the high
to the low water -levels, was scraped bare for subsequent
appraisal of the rate of resettlement on cleared areas. Two
17
-------
types of organisms (a primary producer and a grazer) were
collected for analysis by gas chromatography.
Intertidal mud areas were sampled by collecting sediment and
infauna from two 30 x 30 x 20 cm grids. The samples were
screened (1mm mesh) to separate the biota which was then
returned to the laboratory for counting. Samples of mud and
soft shell clams (Mya arenaria were collected for gas
chromatography.
Subtidal benthic samples were collected by divers, screened
and analyzed in the same manner as the inter tidal mud.
Sediment and lobsters were taken for gas chromatograpy. The
lobsters were purchased on-site at the time of each survey
from a local lobsterman who was pulling traps in the area.
Water samples were taken one to two feet off the bottom at the
subtidal stations and just below the surface at the intertidal
flats. Midbay water samples were taken at can buoy "7" from
the surface and from 30 feet deep to determine the hydrocarbon
content of the water flushing the area. Water samples were
taken on all surveys and analyzed on Surveys I and III.
The rookeries at Ram Island, Inner Green and Outer Green
Islands were surveyed on foot to assess gross deleterious
effects of gulls, cormorants and waterfowl by counting dead
and oiled birds.
Beach sand was collected from three depths (0-10, 10-20 and
20-30 cm) at two stations on West Beach, Long Island. Samples
were collected immediately after the spill and again after the
beach cleanup operations to determine their oil content.
Laboratory Methods:
The screened portions of the benthic and intertidal samples
were shaken in 10% formalin with a biological stain (rose
bengal) which aided in the final separation of animals from
the course fraction of the sediment. The numbers of species
and numbers of individuals were determined for the sediment
infauna and also for the rocky intertidal grid samples.
Subsequently, the fauna were preserved in 70% alcohol.
Identifications of amphipods are known to present difficulties
(Sanders, 1956) and were therefore made only to type
specimens, with final identification pending confirmation by a
specialist, if necessary. Polychaetes were difficult to
recover in good condition and those which were mutilated
beyond recognition were placed in typed categories, so that a
good estimate of the species diversity could be made without
their identification.
18
-------
Representatives of each species subjected to chemical analysis
were weighed, dried to constant weight and re-weighed to
obtain a conversion factor of wet weight to dry weight for
relating laboratory results to field concentrations. Wet
weights were used when they were more appropriate.
The analytical methods used to determine the presence of No. 6
fuel oil were based on modifications of the procedure used by
Blumer et al (1970, 1972) for No. 2 fuel oil. For the
extraction of total lipid components, samples of sediment and
beach sands weighing approximately 200 gm were placed directly
in Soxhlet thimbles. Shellfish were shucked and the animal
plus its fluids were homogenized in a commercial blender
before placement in a thimble.
Lobsters were homogenized with their shell but seaweeds were
chopped, because they stalled the blender. Wet weights were
taken, and the samples were extracted for a minimum of 20
hours with re-distilled, reagent grade anhydrous methanol and
benzene. The methanol-benzene extract was transferred to a
separatory funnel and extracted four times with 50 ml of
pentane. Solids in the extract (biological samples) were
shaken with pentane three times. The pentane portions were
combined and evaporated to a small volume (5 - 10 ml) by
passing N2 over them. They were next saponified in 150 ml of
60% 0.5 KOH in methanol, 20% water and 20% benzene (refluxed 1
- 2 hours) to remove wax esters, fatty acids and
triglycerides. The saponified mixture was repartitioned into
pentane three times, using aqueous NaCl to precipitate the
salts. The remaining non-saponifiable portion contained any
fatty alcohols, sterols, pigments or fuel oil hydrocarbons
which were present in the pentane, was then evaporated with N
to a volume of 1 - 2 ml. The concentrated solution was passed
first through a column of precipitated copper to remove
sulfur, then through a chromatographic column packed with 2.4
g alumina over 3.6 g silica gel, which had been activated at
250ฐC and 120ฐC respectively, deactivated with 5% by weight of
water and washed with pentane. For biological samples the
ratio of the silica gel portion to the alumina was increased
to enhance the separation of pigmented materials from the fuel
oil and 0.1 part benzene was added to the pentane to elute the
hydrocarbons. The pentane was evaporated and the residual
hydrocarbons were weighed.
The extracted hydrocarbons were dissolved in a small volume of
C&2 and subjected to scanning infrared (Perkin-Elmer, Model
727) analysis to confirm that the remaining lipids had been
removed by the .column chromatography. An absorption band
between 1700 nm and 1750 nm would detect incomplete separation
and the sample would be re-columned.
19
-------
Control samples of No. 6 fuel oil were carried through the
entire procedure with 75% recovery by weight. Fractions
eluted from the chromatographic column were scanned on an
ultraviolet (Beckman D.U., 2400) spectrophotometer from 230 to
260 nm to assure that the aromatic portions were being eluted.
After column chromatography, the samples were injected into a
Varian Aerograph 2860 gas chromatograph equipped with a split
capillary injecture port. A SCOT (support coated open
tubular) column, OV-101, 50 ft long with 0.02 " I.D. was used.
Automatic temperature programming was set for an 80ฐC
injection, rising at 15ฐC/min to 300ฐ followed by a 12 min
post-program hold.
Addendum to Methods:
Fucus taken during the first and second surveys and
Ascophyllum from the first survey only, were so thoroughly
coated with oil at the experimental stations that they were
weighed, washed in benzene, dried one hour at room temperature
and re-weighed to determine the weight of oil removed.
Control samples were treated in the same manner to determine
any weight changes associated with the treatment alone.
Corrections for water loss were determined to be - 0.25% of
gross weight for Fucus and - 1.3% for Ascophyllum, and these
corrections were applied to the results of the benzene
treatment. Beach sands from Long Island were treated by the
same method.
20
-------
SECTION V
CHROMATOGRAPHIC RESULTS
Chromatogram of No. 6 Fuel Oil:
The method of interpreting the chromatographic results was
based on that of Blumer et al (1970, 1972) for No. 2 fuel oil,
except that the column was OV-101 rather than Apiezon L and
the programmed temperature rise was more rapid and reached a
higher level, commensurate with the boiling fractions in No. 6
oil. In the chromatogram of the No. 6 oil from the Tamano
(Figure 3), the characteristic unresolved boiling envelope of
isomeric hydrocarbons started at about C-1A, peaked between
C-21 and C-23 and diminished rapidly after C-28. The position
of the envelope was characteristic for No. 6 and easily
differentiated from the characteristic envelope of a typical
No. 2 oil (Figure 4) run under the same conditions. Moreover,
although the boiling envelope for a high pour No. 6 oil
supplied by the EPA New England Regional Laboratory was
similar (Figure 5), certain characteristic differences existed
between them. In the case of the Tamano oil, there were large
peaks of the lower boiling paraffins C-13, C-14, C-15 and C-16
were not seen in the No. 6 of Figure 5. The sequence in which
materials are eluted and their relative heights are affected
by the type of column and programmed temperature rise. This
can lead to variations in locations of peaks and their
resolution. Therefore, the column type and temperature
program must be consistent throughout the study.
Intertidal Mud Flats:
The intertidal sediments at Cow Island contained oil on all
three surveys (Figures 6, 7 and 8). The total amount of
hydrocarbon increased between Surveys I and II (Table 2).
There was, however, a fresh spill of No. 6 oil in the area by
the tanker Aquario two weeks after the Tamano spill, which
could account for the added oil. However, no samples of this
oil are available for chromatographic comparison. By Survey
III, the oil had weathered (Figure 8) and the hydrocarbon
level decreased.
All three surveys showed contaminated clams (Figures 9, 10 and
11). The low boilers and the total hydrocarbon concentration
in the clams decreased over the three surveys (Table 2). The
chromatographs of the water at Cow Island tested on Surveys I
and III indicated petroleum hydrocarbons during both surveys
(Figures 12 and 13), but the total concentration by Survey III
had decreased to less than half that of Survey I (Table 2).
21
-------
N>
10
i ::: u p.tr.ur i,] ( r. L- pi
!--__<*--*- * ? J*-'- ' ' r^-"^ .^--. '-.'- J^l.. -I.-' '
:: i!:ii' i::rT!i Ij::I-I:-1:'''\n:1]-
CARBON HOMBE
FIGURE 3
Chromatogram of No. 6 Fuel Oil From the Tamano
-------
N5
CO
LilLdlJJ.!.L!J.!.L& 1 -IS-1
FIGURE A
Chromatogram of a No. 2 Fuel Oil as it would Appear on an 0V 101 Column
Progranmed for No. 6 Fuel Oil
-------
to
:f Mh.-s !
---ป--
! i ' j '
. ' " ! ' ' ;'.
i ; .
1 CARBON NUMBER -
/.T: : |
ฃ0 ! '! .
; - i
,
1 L
r : ! ; |
; !"j'T. "W ""''
I'M' .1 ' '
; '..L
.' i . :
1 i ;.
r i j
;:-
: \ ',
-i i- | ' I
; ; : !-| !.j
FIGURE 5
Chromatogram of a Typical High Pour No. 6 Fuel Oil
Supplied by EPA New England Regional Laboratory
-------
Ul
FIGURE 6
Chromatogram of Sediments
Cow Island Survey I
-------
ro
FIGURE 7
Chromatogram of Sediments
Cow Island Survey II
-------
TABLE 2
IS)
QUANTITATIVE HYDROCARBON ANALYSIS
INTERTIDAL MUD FLATS
SAMPLE
Sediment
Sediment
Clams
Clams
Water
Water
STATION
Cow Island
*
Beals Cove
Cow Island
Beals Cove
Cow Island
^
Beals Cove
SURVEY
I
II
III
-I
II
III
I
II
III
III
I
III
I
III
TOTAL HC
MG/KG
54
97
62
19
35
63
1,300
360
310
114
0.9
0.4
**
o-2**
1.6
yG HC
INJECTED
268
113
154
42.8
39.8
140
16.9
137.5
59.7
59.4
36.8
16
20
29.9
RELATIVE
ATTENUATION
32
32
32
32
32
32
64
64
64
32
32
32
32
32
Control Stations
**
Value is in mg per liter
-------
N>
09
FIGURE 8
Chromatogram of Sediments
Cow Island Survey III
-------
VO
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 9
Chromatogram of Clams (Mya arenaria)
Cow Island Survey I
-------
FIGURE 10
Chromatogram of Clams (Mya arenaria)
Cow Island Survey II
-------
-V-in. r.
__ c i to-.t.
.jr.....
FIGURE 11
Chromatogram of Clams (Mya arenaria)
Cow Island Survey III
-------
At the control mud flat on Be a Is Cove, there was evidence of
oil in the sediments during Survey I (Figure 14) > but by
Surveys II and III, the total hydrocarbon had doubled, then
tripled (Table 2) to a level comparable to the Cow Island
station with a definite indication of petroleum contamination
(Figure 15 and 16).
Clams at Beals Cove during Survey III were similarly
contaminated with oil (Figure 17) , but the concentrations of
total hydrocarbon in their tissues reached only one-third that
of Cow Island (Table 2).
The water flushing the Beals Cove station increased
dramatically in total hydrocarbon content (Table 2) between
Survey I (Figure 18) when no fuel oil was present and Survey
III (Figure 19). These curves were interpreted as the more
soluble components of petroleum hydrocarbons.
Subtidal Stations:
The sediments at the Long Island station (approximately 20 ft
depth), contained oil over all three surveys (Figures 20, 21
and 22). Like the inter tidal station at Beals Cove, the
concentration of total hydrocarbons increased during the
second survey (Table 3).
The lobsters in the Long Island area showed no evidence of
fuel oil contamination during Survey I (Figure 23). By
Surveys II and III, the total hydrocarbon content had doubled
(Table 3) and the peaks along the .envelope (Figures 24 and 25)
suggest the presence of weathered fuel oil. But, the profile
was not distinctive enough to tie it to the Tamano oil. Any
build-up was small, because the total hydrocarbon
concentration was low compared with the clams and of that
total, fuel oil type components were small compared with
natural peaks of odd-numbered alkanes (C-21, C-23 and C-25).
The profile of water at this station (Figures 26 and 27) was
similar to that at Cow Island with a relatively large portion
of the more soluble components (unresolved envelope), but at
Long Island there was an increase in concentration of total
hydrocarbons between Surveys I and III (Table 3).
The levels of total hydrocarbon in the sediments at the Bailey
Island control stations were below those of Long Island during
all surveys (Table 3). Survey I, taken seven days after the
spill (Figure 28), indicated contamination by oil.
32
-------
co
CO
FIGURE 12
Chromatogram of Water
Cow Island Survey I
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 13
Chromatogram of Water
Cow Island Survey III
-------
Ul
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 14
Chromatogram of Sediment
Beals Cove Survey I
-------
CO
FIGURE 15
Chromatogram of Sediment
Beals Cove Survey II
-------
CO
FIGURE 16
Chromatogram of Sediment
Beals Cove Survey III
-------
FIGURE 17
Chromatogram of Clams (Mya arenaria)
Beals Cove Survey III
-------
u>
VO
FIGURE 18
Chromatogram of Water
Beals Cove Survey I
-------
FIGURE 19
Chromatogram of Water
Beals Cove Survey III
-------
FIGURE 20
Chromatogram of Sediment
Long Island Survey I
-------
ro
-iT-H
t.t_L iLi UlTl-N
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 21
Chromatogram of Sediment
Long Island Survey II
-------
co
FIGURE 22
Chromatogram of Sediment
Long Island Survey III
-------
TABLE 3
QUANTITATIVE HYDROCARBON ANALYSIS
SUBTIDAL STATIONS
SAMPLE
t
Sediments
Sediments
Water
Water
Lobster
Lobster
STATION
Long Island
Bailey*
Island
Long Island
Bailey*
Island
Long Island
Bailey*
Island
SURVEY
I
II
III
I
III
I
III
I
III
I
II
III
II
TOTAL HC
MG/KG
66
75
53
26
29
**
0-3**
0.7
**
0.2**
0.4
32
70
73
29
INJECTED
CONC. uG
329
180
140
152
113
25
27.6
20
17.6
42.5
18.6
16.8
7.7
RELATIVE
ATTENUATION .
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
64
64
64
64
**
Control Stations
Value is in mg per liter
-------
.j_ i_j.; :;pnni a:; r rj. i: i :p
. i i i Q i * i i I i ^ It - ' I
FIGURE 23
Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey I
-------
R-U Li... !._ni
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 24
Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey II
-------
FIGURE 25
Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Long Island Survey III
-------
oo
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 26
Chromatogram of Water
Long Island Survey I
-------
JS-
VO
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 27
Chromatogram of Water
Long Island Survey III
-------
There was no evidence of the oil during Survey II (Figure 29) ,
but the sediment samples were taken further offshore than in
Survey I, beyond a natural sill. By Survey III, the same
offshore area had become contaminated with weathered oil
(Figure 30).
Although a profile of possibly weathered fuel oil was present
in lobsters from the control' area (Bailey Island) during
Survey II (Figure 31), the total hydrocarbon in the control
lobsters was very low (29 mg/kg), indicating little or no
build-up of a residual pool of aromatics of cycloalkanes.
Water flushing this station contained little oil during the
first survey, but did show a characteristic envelope during
Survey III (Figures 32 and 33) suggesting that the
contamination of the area during Survey I occurred by sediment
transport by strong tidal currents against the prevailing
non-tidal drift. Counter-current transport upstream along the
bottom is not unusual in the marine environment.
Rocky Intertidal Areas:
The Littorina at the sloping rock station at Cow Island during
Survey I were heavily contaminated with oil (Figure 34). By
Survey II, the total concentration of hydrocarbons in
Littorina tissues had not diminished (Table 4 and Figure 35).
On Survey III, the total concentration of hydrocarbon dropped
from about 245 mg/kg wet wt to about 35 mg, but a pattern of
weathered oil was still present (Figure 36). On the same
survey, Littorina at the Long Island station contained nearly
twice the hydrocarbon concentration of those at Cow Island
(Table 4 and Figure 37). The profile for Littorina from
Bailey Island (control station) during Survey III could not be
positively identified (Figure 38).
The dog whelk, Thais, was not abundant until Survey II.
Collected from Long Island, it then contained 128 mg
hydrocarbon per kg wet wt with a definite oil component
(Figure 39, Table 4). By Survey III, the total hydrocarbon
had increased to 884 mg/kg wet wt and the aromatic cycloalkane
portion appeared to increase while the lower boilers and
paraffin peaks were truncated (Figure 40).
The Fucus zone on the rocky inter tidal station at Long Island
was within the tidal range heavily coated by the oil, such
that the weight of oil was twelve-and-a-half to
thirteen-and-a-half percent the weight of the Fucus, peaking
on the second survey (Table 4). By Survey III, the oil had
washed away considerably (Figure 41). At the control station
(Figure 42), there was some contamination, but the total
50
-------
FIGURE 28
Chromatogram of Sediments
Bailey Island Survey I
-------
Ul
ISJ
FIGURE 29
Chromatogram of Sediments
Bailey Island Survey II
-------
Ui
FIGURE 30
Chromatogram of Sediments
Bailey Island Survey III
-------
Ul
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 31
Chromatogram of Lobster (Homarus americanus)
Bailey Island Survey II
-------
in
in
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 32
Chromatogram of Water
Bailey Island Survey I
-------
Ui
T-n
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 33
Chromatogram of Water
Bailey Island Survey III
-------
FIGURE 34
Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey I
-------
TABLE 4
QUANTITATIVE HYDROCARBON ANALYSIS
ROCKY INTERTIDAL STATIONS
Ui
00
SAMPLE
Littorina
Thais
Fucus '
Ascophyllum
STATION
Cow Island
Long Island
Bailey Island
Long Island
Bailey Island
Long Island
Bailey Island
Cow Island
*
Bailey Island
SURVEY
I
II
III
III
III
II
III
III
I
II
III
II
I
II
III
II
TOTAL HC
M6/K6
244
245
35
63
82
128
884
122
124,800
135,000
1,890
500
104,000
56
365
400
INJECTED
HC uG
472.7
61.2
32.8
8.5
16.9
32.4
80
15.6
358.4
14.9
23.4
38.9
32.2
RELATIVE
ATTENUATION
64
64
32
64
32
64
64
8
64
32
32
64
Control
-------
NO
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 35
Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey II
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 36
Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Cow Island Survey III
-------
CARBON
FIGURE 37
Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Long Island Survey III
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 38
Chromatogram of Periwinkles (Littorina littorea)
Bailey Island Survey III
-------
u>
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 39
Chromatogram of Dog Whelks (Thais lapillus)
Long Island Survey II
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 40
Chromatogram of Dog Whelks (Thais lapillus)
Long Island Survey III
-------
hydrocarbon content was far less than that of the Long Island
station.
Ascophyllum, attached below the heavily coated zone at Cow
Island, was heavily contaminated for the first survey (Table
4), but apparently this was surface contamination because by
Survey II there was no distinctive evidence for the oil
(Figure 43). By Survey III, contamination was present at
relatively low levels compared with Survey I (Figure 44).
Ascophyllum from the control station (Bailey "Island) showed
some contamination (Figure 45).
Water Column:
In addition to the water samples taken at the benthic stations
and intertidal mud flats, water from the middle portion of
Hussey Sound at one foot below the surface and at 30 feet
below the surface was analyzed for oil. During both Survey I
and Survey III, there was oil present in measurable quantities
both at the one foot level and at mid-depth. The mid-depth
concentrations were four times those at the subsurface during
Survey I and about one-and-a-third times the subsurface
concentration during Survey III (Table 5). The peaks of the
chromatographic profile during Survey at the mid-depth level
were relatively well differentiated, suggesting that fine
droplets of the whole oil mixture on the surface may become
suspended and mixed through the water column (Figures 46 and
47).
Beach Stations:
The total hydrocarbon for the surface sand (0-10 cm) and sand
at depth (20-30 cm) are given in Table 6. The mid-depth 10-20
cm was found to contain a marked delineation between sand
visibly oiled and that not visibly oiled at about 15 cm, so
that analysis of the mixed sample would be misleading. The
results of 0-10 cm were, therefore, considered representative
of the 0-15 cm level and those from 20-30 cm were
representative of 15-30 cm.
During the first survey, the oil was heavily concentrated in
the top 15 cm of sand (43,200 mg/kg dry wt), while very little
had leached to the lower level (15 mg/kg dry wt). By Survey
II, the oil in the surface layer had decreased by one-third,
but the concentrations at depth had increased 25 times to 380
fflg/kg dry wt. This concentration was still only 1.3% that of
the surface layers.
Survey III was conducted after the beach removal operations.
On 16 September, 1972, the top six inches was removed from the
65
-------
ON
ON
I..T-! i-N W ll-f '^ I;
lTlllllllTi.IJIIIIII.IIII.lil
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 41
Chromatogram of Fucus
Long Island Survey III
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 42
Chromatogram of Fucus
Bailey Island Survey II
-------
00
FIGURE 43
Chromatogram of Ascophyllum
Cow Island Survey II
-------
VO
FIGURE 44
Chromatogram of Ascophyllum
Cow Island Survey III
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 45
Chromatogram of Ascophyllum
Bailey Island Survey II
-------
TABLE 5
TOTAL HYDROCARBONS IN WATER FROM THE MID-SOUND AREA
SURVEY
I
I
III
III
DEPTH
Surface (1 ft)
Mid-Depth (30 ft)
Surface (1 ft)
Mid-Depth (30 ft)
TOTAL
HYDROCARBONS
M6/L
0.4
1.4
0.6
0.7
RELATIVE
ATTENUATION
32
32
32
32
71
-------
ro
FIGURE 46
Chromatogram of Water
Mid-Bay Surface Survey I
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 47
Chromatogram of Water
Mid-Bay 30 ft Depth Survey I
-------
TABLE 6
QUANTITATIVE HYDROCARBON ANALYSIS
LONG ISLAND BEACH SAND
SAMPLE DEPTH
Surface - 10 cm
20 - 30 cm
SURVEY
I
II
*
III
I
II
*
III
TOTAL HC
MG/KG DRY WEIGHT
43,200
29,000
432
15
380
137
Survey made after beach removal operations
74
-------
surface. Therefore, the surface level in Survey III actually
corresponded to the lower levels of Surveys I and II. The
lower level of Survey III was lower than any level in the two
previous surveys.
75
-------
ON
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 48
Chromatogram of Sand From West Beach
Surface Survey III
-------
CARBON NUMBER
FIGURE 49
Chromatogram of Sand From West Beach
20 - 30 cm Survey III
-------
SECTION VI
ECOLOGICAL RESULTS
Intertidal Mud Flats:
The stations at Cow Island (oiled) and at Seals Cove, Orrs
Island (control) were intertidal softshell clam (Mya arenaria)
areas (Figure 1). Salinities and water temperatures were
comparable (Table 7). Sediment profiles were similar, the
particles at Cow Island having a size distribution somewhat
finer than those of Beals Cove during all but the final survey
(Figures 48 AF). Neither the total abundance nor the species
composition were very similar, however. Cow Island was
primarily a polychaete - Littorina community, whereas Beals
Cove was dominated by Mya, Littorina and Gemma gemma, with
polychaetes conspicuously absent until the last survey (Table
8).
The species diversity remained essentially constant throughout
the surveys at the control station, while at Cow Island it
dropped drastically during Survey II with the loss of all
infaunal species detectable by the methods employed. By
Survey III, many of these started to return to the area. The
length frequency analysis of the young clams for this survey
(Figure 49) showed complete loss of the earlier sets seen in
the Beals Cove profile, but apparent resettlement by new spawn
(smallest size categories).
Total individuals at Cow Island (oiled) numbered nearly twice
those of Beals Cove during Survey I, but they steadily
declined over the three surveys, whereas the numbers at Beals
Cove increased nearly six-fold. Notable losses at Cow Island
occurred among bivalves and polychaetes, but the particular
species lost did not correspond with the species present at
the control station -'or comparison. Throughout the study, Mya
were far more abundant at the control station than at Cow
Island. All the adult Mya at Cow Island were located far up
on the flat near the high water mark.
Subtidal Benthic Communities:
The experimental and control stations were located at the 20
ft depth (MLW) on Long Island and Bailey Island, respectively
(Figure 1). Salinity and temperature regimes were similar
(Table 7), but the sediment profiles for the Long Island
station had a much greater proportion of fine silt than those
78
-------
TABLE 7
FIELD TEMPERATURES AND SALINITIES
STATION
Cow Island
Long Island
Mid-Bay
Mid-Bay
Beals Cove
Bailey Island
SAMPLING
DEPTH
Surface
Surface
Surface
Mid-Water
Surface
Surface
SURVEY I
JULY
TEMPERATURE
ฐC
17.2
14.4
16.1
13.4
20.3
17.2
SALINITY
0/00
30.2
32.0
31.8
30.2
29.8
29.0
SURVEY II
SEPTEMBER
TEMPERATURE
ฐC
15.0
16.0
15.3
14.0
15.0
14.8
SALINITY
0/00
32.1
31.0
31.2
31.8
31.2
33.4
SURVEY III
NOVEMBER
TEMPERATURE
ฐC
9.2
9.0
9.8
9.0
SALINITY
0/00
32.6
32.5
30.0
32.3
NO
-------
<2 tO
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< 40
5
30
20
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s
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20
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^
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PAS .250 .500 .710 1.0
MESH SIZE (ซ)
2.0
TUI .250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
MESH SIZE ()
PAH .250 .500 .710 .1.0 2.0
HESH SIZE (am)
to
6
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30
20
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to
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PAN .250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
KESH SIZE ()
FIGURE 50
Benthic Sediment Profiles
(gm Retained per 100 gm of Sample)
80
-------
TABLE 8
BENTHIC STATIONS
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS PER 0.09 M2
SPECIES
Crustacea :
Amphipoda
Isopoda
TOTAL
Echinodermata :
Asterias forbesi
Echinarachnius parma
TOTAL
Mollusca :
Acmaea testudinalis
Admen t a conthayi
Cerastoderm pinnulatum
Cingula sp.
Crenella faba
Cumminga tellinoides
Cylichna gouldi
GGDQDISI ssnunfl
COW ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
5
5
II
Ill
3
3
BEALS COVE
SURVEY NO.
I
12
12
31
20
10
II
10
10
10
III
95
95
7
154
BAILEY ISLAND*
SURVEY NO.
I
4
4
4
4
II
10
10
5
5
10
III
^^^
20
20
i
13
LONG ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
13
13
1
1
II
52
52
11
III
10
10
1
1
7
7
2
00
-------
TABLE 8
oo
NJ
SPECIES
Mollusca :
Littorina littorea
Littorina obtusata
Littorina saxatilis
Macoma baltica
Macoma calcarea
Mercenaria mercenaria
Mya arenaria
Mya truncata
Mytilus edulis
Nassarius obsoletus
Nassarius trivittatus
Nucula proxima
Periploma leanus
Periploma papyratium
Pitar morrhuana
Retusa canaliculata
Rissoa sp.
Skenea planorbis
Yoldia limatula
TOTAL
Polychaeta:
A. Nephtys ingens
_ _ B. Pherusa af finis
COW ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
130
. 80
5
10
5
5
5
240
II
70
10
80
III
47
3
40
7
3
100
BEALS COVE
SURVEY NO.
I
1
11
51
8
2
134
II
10
15
25
5
205
5
275
III
7
9
236
26
171
610
BAILEY ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
12
4
4
4
32
II
15
10
35
10
III
7
7
7
34
LONG ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
2
1
229
2
1
235
II
6
83
1
101
25
4
III
10
111
M^BB
1
138
-------
TABLE 8
SPECIES
Polychaeta:
C. Polydora sp.
D. Chone infundibuliformis
E. Lumbrineris tenuis
F. Unidentified sp.
G. Phyllodoce anaitides
H. Unidentified sp.
I. Unidentified sp.
J. Terrebellid
K. Unidentified sp.
L. Unidentified sp.
M. Unidentified sp.
N. Nephtys sp.
0. Unidentified sp.
P. Unidentified sp.
Q. Unidentified sp.
R. Unidentified sp.
T. Nephtys incisa
U. Ammotrypane avlogaster
W. Unidentified sp.
X. Unidentified sp.
Z. Unidentified sp.
TOTAL
COW ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
55
5
60
II
Ill
3
3
BEALS COVE
SURVEY NO.
I
II
Ill
48
48
BAILEY ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
-^
II
10
5
5
25
5
15
20
10
105
III
7
7
LONG ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
8
1
1
10
II
2
11
20
1
1
3
4
1
72
III
7
7
00
Control Stations
-------
36Kq
SURVEY III
Control -
Seal's Cove
Contaminated -
Cow Island
20
15
10
F
R
E
U
E
N
C
Y
OF
0 6
R
G 4
A
N
I 2
S
M
1.
Length in millimeters
5 10 15 20 25 30
1
B
FIGURE 51
Size Frequency of Mya
for
Contaminated and Control Sites
84
-------
*w
0
*
y
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*
*<
K
u
A
70
^i
.
S
s
s
s
s
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E
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tM .250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
10
ttsa SIZE ()
A
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\
s
V
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S
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s
s
V
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s
s
s
s
B
n rci _
.250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
HESB SIZE ()
MM .250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
.250 .500 .710 1.0 2.0
HESB SIZE (>
100
*0
10
. 70
1 "
* 50
1
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30
20
10
A
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s
s
s
s
s
.
s
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&
30
20
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D
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V
s
v
s
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V
V
nil .250 .500 .710 1.0
SIZE
2.0
!"
1"
D
^ 40
30
20
10
a
E
S R R
s
V
s,
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V
s
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's
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nnH
nri
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A
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s
s
ปAซ .250 .500 .710
SIZE
1.0 2.0
FIGURE 52
Benthic Sediment Profiles
(gm Retained per 100 gm of Sample)
85
-------
of Bailey Island (Figure 50 A-F). On the first survey, the
Bailey Island samples were collected inshore of a natural
ridge where the substrate consisted of 90% black shale rock,
1% shell fragments and 9% miscellaneous sediment.
Subsequently, the station was moved beyond the natural ridge
to a more representative sediment type.
The total numbers of species were equivalent for both stations
(Table 8), but the specific groupings at Long Island were
different from those at the control, except for softshell
clams (Mya arenaria), dwarf cockles (Cerastoderma pinnulatum)
and nut clams (Nucula proxima). Of these, both Mya and
Cerastoderma were present in comparable numbers at both
stations, but Nucula was more abundant at the Long Island
station where it was the dominant organism throughout the
study in terms of abundance.
Polychaetes, abundant during Survey II, were scarce or absent
on the first and third surveys at both stations. The
polychaetes at Long Island did not correspond to those at
Bailey Island, except for Nephthys ingens and Lambrinereis
tenuis, present at both stations on Survey II.
Crustaceans, primarily amphipods, were more consistently
present, as well as more abundant at the Long Island station.
They were all of a single species.
Vertical Rocks:
The vertical rock stations at Long Island (oiled) and Bailey
Island (control), shown in Figure 1, were highly comparable in
their species composition. Rocks cleaned with hot water were
not included in these surveys. Of the 24 different species
found at both stations over three surveys, seven were found
only at the control, a limpet (Acmaea testudinalis) and six
species of amphipods.' Of these seven, only the amphipods were
sufficiently abundant at Bailey Island to constitute a
significant difference from Long Island.
Amphipods were entirely absent from the Long Island station
over all surveys, while they were both abundant and well
diversified at Bailey Island (Table 9). Two amphipod castings
were found at Long Island on Survey III, which suggests that
there may have been an amphipod community before the oil
spill.
Prominant species common to both areas included two algae,
Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus spiralis, and four
invertebrates, the periwinkles (Littorina obtusata and L_.
saxatilis), rock barnacles (Balanus balanoides), and the spat
of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). The ranked order of
86
-------
TABLB 9
00
IRTERTIDAL ROCK STATIONS
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS PER 100 CM2
SPECIES
Crustacea:
Aaphlpoda A
B
C
D
K
Unidentified so.
TOTAL*
Balanus balanoldes
Isopoda
TOTAL
Hollusca:
Llttorlna llttorea
Llttorlna obtusata
Llttorlna saxatllla
Mytllus edulls
Skenea planorbls
Thais laplllus
TOTAL
COW ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
836
836
51
175
.51
3.337
3.614
II
981
981
5
548
165
1.458
57
2.233
III
777
777
1
405
223
912
164
1.705
BAILEY ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
(Sloping)
I
1.130
1.130
2
145
733
94
1,844
209
3,027
II
42
45
23
87
1.049
8
1,057
10
2,629
330
3,'069
67
6.105
III
r,_-
5
5
743
743
995
138
879
21
8
2,041
LONG ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
I
-- i
1,036
1,036
12
210
28
58
4
312
II
1,425
1,425
7
137
7
25
2
178
III
1,014
1,014
6
215
44
140
1
406
BAILEY ISLAND
SURVEY NO.
(Vertical)
I
11
49
60
1,730
13
1,743
8
1.059
35
678
3
1,783
II
111
111
1,631
1,631
8
418
5
498
929
III
25
5
30
1,400
1,400
564
13
563
32
1.172
Control Stations
+Total of Identifiable aaphlpod types (does not Include unidentified species)
-------
abundance among these invertebrates was the same for both
stations, but the total numbers of individuals were
consistently higher at the control station than at Long
Island, except for L_. saxatilis. Adult blue mussels at Long
Island were scarce, indicating that while the rock served as a
temporary substrate for the spat, Mytilus did not normally
remain there to maturity. There was no apparent difference in
abundance of species between the heavily oiled zones and those
which lay below them. This indicated that smothering was not
a primary effect of the oil at this station, unlike the area
observed on the preliminary survey.
Sloping Rock Stations:
Intertidal stations on sloping rock areas at Cow Island
(oiled) and Bailey Island (control) shown in Figure 1
presented much the same pattern as the vertical rock stations.
Of the sixteen species found at both stations over all
surveys, five species of amphipods and a limpet (Acmaea
testudinalis), were found only at the control station. Of
these, the amphipods were the most abundant and the most
diverse (Table 9). The predominant species of algae and
invertebrates common to both stations were the same as those
found on the vertical rock stations, but the ranked order of
abundance of the common invertebrates was not so consistent.
Few adults of the blue mussel (Mytilus) were present, again
indicating only temporary residence.
The periwinkle, L_. obtusata, increased in abundance over the
three surveys at the control station, gradually becoming the
dominant species in terms of relative numbers. This increase
did not occur at Cow Island where the abundance of L_. obtusata
was consistently lower than at the control. The other two
common species, L_. saxatilis and JJ. balanoides were more
abundant at the control station than at Cow Island over
Surveys I and II, but they dropped to relatively equal numbers
by Survey III. Again, there were no differences in abundance
between the heavily oiled zones and those below them.
Recolonization on the Rock Stations:
During Survey I, swaths were scraped clean of organisms on the
sloping rocks at the Cow Island station (oiled), on the
vertical rocks at the Long Island station (oiled) and at the
respective control areas on Bailey Island. This was done to
assess recolonization following the spill. The species
present and their respective abundance were determined during
the following surveys. Recolonization was based on
recruitment and population ratios. These ratios are a method
to establish the degree of recolonization and it is based on
88
-------
the following assumptions: (1) the control stations have
remained oil-free, (2) the pool of organisms available for
recolonization comes from areas adjacent to the cleared
strips, (3) recolonization of the control areas reflect
natural processes.
The recruitment ratio was formed by comparing the number of
animals, regardless of species, on bared areas at the control
station to the number on the bared areas at the oiled station
(See Table 12). For example, during Survey II, 1201 animals
were on the cleared swatch on Bailey Island (sloping rock
control) and 197 animals on the cleared sloping rock strip at
Cow Island (oiled). The recruitment ratio, R, is 1,201/197 =
6.1:1.
The population ratio is based on all species common to the
control and oiled areas. It is formed by comparing the number
of animals in the area adjacent to the control cleared strip
to the numbers adjacent to the oiled cleared strip. Data for
these ratios come from Table 9. For example, during Survey II
on the sloping rock stations, there were 7,154 animals at the
Bailey Island control station and 3,214 animals at the Cow
Island oiled station. The population ratio, P, is 7,154/3,214
= 2.2:1 (Table 10). The population ratio is a "weighing
factor" to account for differences in abundance between the
two areas. Whenever the recruitment ratio exceeds the
population ratio, more animals than would be expected by sheer
differences in population sizes were moving on to the bared
areas at the control station than on to a similar area at the
oiled locations.
Observations on the Rookeries:
The rookeries at Ram Island (herring gulls and a few eider
ducks) and Outer Green Island (eiders and cormorants) were
visited on all three surveys. Inner Green Island (eiders,
cormorants and gulls) was added on Surveys II and III. On the
western shore of Ram Island, oil from the Tamano washed ashore
and collected on rocks and in tide pools. On Outer Green
Island, oily seaweed drifted onto the western shore. Oil
slicks were prominent on the water surface in the area of all
three islands during the first week after the spill.
The counts of dead birds on the islands are given in Table 11.
Oil was seen on some of the carcasses, but the condition of
the majority was too poor to tell whether they were oiled or
not. On Ram Island, the birds'appeared scattered about on the
high bluffs as if pulled apart by a predator. In addition to
the dead gulls, twelve live, oiled gulls were seen there on
the first survey. One live, oiled gull was found on Ram
Island. Gulls suffered the heaviest mortality with cormorants
89
-------
TABLE 10
RECOLONIZATION OF SLOPING ROCK STATIONS
(BY ZONES) AND VERTICAL ROCK STATIONS (WHOLE STATION)
SLOPING ROCK
STATION
IV
III
II
I
COMMUNITY
ZONES
Lichens
Periwinkles
Barnacles
Seaweeds
TOTAL NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS
SURVEY II
(September)
COW ISLAND
(OILED)
21
20
54
102
TOTALS 197
RECRUITMENT RATIO:
(Control: Oiled)
POPULATION RATIO:
(Control: Oiled)
BAILEY ISLAND
(CONTROL)
195
201
341
464
1,201
6.1:1
/
2.2:1
SURVEY III
(November)
COW ISLAND
(OILED)
193
93
229
343
BAILEY ISLAND
(CONTROL)
137
230
337
609
858 1,313
1.5:1
1.1:1
vo
O
-------
TABLE 10
VERTICAL ROCK
STATION
COMMUNITY
ZONES
ALL ZONES
RECRUITMENT RATIO:
(Control: Oiled)
POPULATION RATIO:
(Control: Oiled)
TOTAL NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS
SURVEY II
(September)
COW ISLAND
(OILED)
198
BAILEY ISLAND
(CONTROL)
363
1.8:1
1.6:1
SURVEY III
(November)
COW ISLAND BAILEY ISLAND
(OILED) (CONTROL)
164 575
3.5:1
-^
1.8:1
\o
-------
TABLE 11
NUMBERS OF DEAD BIRDS COUNTED ON ROOKERY SURVEYS
STATION
Ram Island
Outer Green Island
Inner Green Island
SURVEY
I
II
III
I
II
III
I
III
GULLS
13
150
201
0
9
0
0
22
DUCKS
7
1
11
0
2
0
0
5
CORMORANTS
0
0
0
0
2
28
28
29
92
-------
second. Heaviest eider mortality was on the first survey when
the slicks were on the water.
93
-------
SECTION VII
DISCUSSION OF FIELD RESULTS
The thrust of the field study was to determine quantitatively
in the presence of oil in the sediments* water and selected
biota, in order that a determination of possible adverse
effects of the oil on the organisms might be made. This study
was also to assess the effectiveness of cleanup operations.
Deleterious effects in this study are limited to death or
removal of animals from the affected area. During the
three-and-a-half months of the field investigation, no attempt
could be made to determine long-term effects on reproduction
or other sublethal damage.
Difficulties in Establishing an Adequate Control:
One of the greatest difficulties in oil pollution field
studies has come to be the establishment of a control station
which is close enough to present comparable environmental
conditions for the ecological studies, but distant enough to
remain free of the contaminant. Observations on the movement
of oil on the surface during the first few days after the
spill (Figure 1) indicated that Cousins Island and Great
Chebeague, with their narrow and shallow passages, were
deterring movement to the north along the coast, while oil
moving offshore was being carried south, along the route of
the non-tidal drift.
Despite visual sitings of the concentrations of oil, our
chemical analyses indicated substantial movement north to the
Bailey Island area within seven days of the spill and movement
up into Harpswell Sound (Beals Cove) by early September.
There was, however, continued movement of oil in Beals Cove
causing the hydrocarbon pollutant to accumulate in the
sediments over the three surveys, whereas levels of pollutant
in the Hussey Sound area were declining by the third survey.
In a previous study on Long Island Sound (VAST, Inc., Oil
Spill, Long Island Sound, 1972), it was found that the final
deposition of oil in the sediments did not coincide with
visual sightings of the oil, while it remained on the surface.
Blumer and Sass (1972) were forced to re-establish their
control station twice during the first year of work on the
West Falmouth spill because of the creep of polluted sediments
into areas previously unaffected. In the present study,
during both Surveys I and III, the oil was entrained in the
water column in Hussey Sound at greater concentrations, 30 ft
deep, than it was found in surface waters. In an area of such
large tidal ranges (12 ft) it is likely that strong tidal
currents washed the entrained oil and sediment northward.
94
-------
Crude Oil
Glams
Affected
1953
' Bilge Oil
Worms
Eliminated
Chronic Spills
Casco Bay
1953
Gasoline
FIGURE 53
Oil Incidents on the Coast of Maine
-------
TABLE 12
KEY TO FIGURE 51
RECENT OIL SPILLS WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED
BY
THE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE
1. August 9, 1969. An estimated 2,100 to 8,400 gallons of
Bunker-C oil was spilled from a tanker in Portland Harbor.
Some of the oil washed ashore on Little Diamond Island.
2. December 1, 1953. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of
gasoline were discharged when a tanker ran aground between
Orr's and Bailey Island.
3. April 24, 1964. Not less than 100 barrels were spilled by
a ship at Birch Point, Wiscasset.
4. November 25, 1963. Twenty to twenty-five barrels of crude
oil were spilled in Casco Bay. Weather conditions
resulted in the oil being carried eastward to the vicinity
of Penobscot Bay (H), where a southeast gale brought the
oil ashore in the Friendship-Bristol-Bremen area. Five
lobster storage areas, stocked at a full capacity of
750,000 pounds, were contaminated for varying periods of
time.
5. Chronic oil spills at Searsport and Stockton Springs have
eliminated the worm fishing in these areas. Dealers in
the industry claim that oil contamination has reduced the
survival time of worms, thus making them unsuitable for
market. The bait worm industry has an annual value of
over $1,500,000. and employs 1,200 people.
6. October, 1953. Oil from a boat at Castine contaminated a
large area of clam flats. As a result of this spill, 81
fishermen were put out of work for six weeks and an
estimated 3,690 bushels of clams were lost.
96
-------
There are records of crude oil spilled in Portland Harbor in
1963 moving north-eastward as far as Friendship, Maine, well
beyond the control area.
In the vicinity of Portland Harbor, especially the anchorages
such as Hussey Sound, the continual spillage of small
quantities of oil and the frequency of larger accidents is
high and constitutes a chronic pollution "problem to the
sediments and associated biota of the area (Figure 51, Table
12). Just two weeks after the Tamano spill, the Aquario
spilled 3 to 5 thousand gallons of No. 6 oil, plus some
kerosene in the same general area. In 1971, 66 spills were
recorded for Casco Bay alone and in 1972 the Tamano accident
was the 41st reported incident (Adams, 1972). Oil falling on
rocky intertidal areas, in contrast to oil entering the
sediments, receives heavy washing and weathering. The biota
generally have a shorter life span than the infauna, as well
as protective mechanisms for avoiding short periods of stress
(i.e., sealing their shells). Thus, they would not serve as
long-term reservoirs for the oil. Once the oil is
incorporated into the sediments, it will remain there for
years with little further degradation (Blumer and Sass, 1972;
Burns and Teal, 1971). It was, therefore, not surprising to
find different faunal assemblages between Hussey Sound and the
control area with regard to the mud flats and benthic
stations, while the rocky intertidal assemblages were much
more similar. Presumably, the infaunal community had already
adjusted to the chronic level of stress by shifting to the
more tolerant species. This implies that there is no
satisfactory control area for studies of spills in chronically
polluted areas, because presumably some shift has already
taken place in the species composition between the two areas.
Accepting this handicap, it has been assumed' for this study
that since levels of contamination in the control area were
low compared with those of the Hussey Sound area, and since
the oil moved into the control area gradually as opposed to
the massive coating of the shores of Hussey Sound, valid
conclusions may still be drawn as to the ecological effects of
the oil in both areas.
Accumulation of Oil in the Sediments:
The oil eventually collected in the sediments at all the muddy
intertidal and benthic statioas. For each area (Hussey Sound
vs. Control), the intertidal muds accumulated a greater
concentration of oil than the subtidal stations. Blumer and
Sass (1972) reported the same relative concentrations for the
West Falmouth area. Except for the third survey at Beals
Cove, the concentrations of hydrocarbon in the sediments at
97
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the control area were far below those in Hussey Sound. At the
Hussey Sound stations, the concentration of oil increased
through the second survey which was before the beach at Long
Island and the seaweed had been completely cleared. These may
have acted as sources of further pollution along with the
spill of the tanker Aquario. The control area was still
accumulating oil in November, three-and-a-half months after
the spill.
Accumulations of Oil in the Biota:
Chromatographic profiles and chemical results showed that in
general, the Tamano type oil incorporated into the biota was
much more chemically degraded than the residual oil in the
sediments, but that in those species which retained oil,
unresolved hydrocarbons, which are considered the most toxic
fraction (Blumer, 1971), still remained. Blumer and Sass
(1972) also found more intense biodegradation of No. 2 oil
incorporated into the tissues of oysters and scallops than of
that incorporated into sediments, but the toxic fractions
remained high.
The different species of animals and plants accumulating the
oil did not incorporate it to the same degree. Among the
animals, the clams collected the highest concentrations.
Their close association with the sediments has already been
discussed in this regard. Blumer and Sass (1972) also found
the oil highly concentrated in populations of the same species
in West Falmouth. Scarrat and Zitko (1972) found that whereas
No. 6 oil from the tanker Arrow was readily incorporated into
the tissues of clams (Mya), scallops (Placopecten
magellanicus) and the ribbed mussel (Modiolus modiolus), the
periwinkle (Littorlna littorea) apparently passed it through
the intestine without absorption. The lobster (Homarus
americanus) appeared least susceptible to the accumulation of
oil in their tissues. Lobsters, after the Arrow spill, either
did not accumulate the Bunker-C oil (No. 6) or successfully
metabolized it (Scarrat and Zitko, 1972), whereas Blumer et al
(1970) reported severe mortality to shallow water lobster
populations from No. 2 fuel oil.
Of the two seaweed species tested, Fucus accumulated the oil
to a much greater extent than Ascophyllum. This could have
been due to a number of reasons: the location of the Fucus In
the zone of heaviest contamination; the morphology of the
Fucus strands, which are very flat and leafy, presenting a
greater surface volume ratio than the rather rounded,
digitated fronds of the Ascophyllum or the lipophyllic nature
of the mucopolysaccharide substances on the fucoids which tend
to absorb and hold the oil to a greater degree than the
Ascophyllum.
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Lethal Effects of the Oil:
The complete loss of benthic intertidal infaunal animals at
the middle and lower tidal zones was witnessed by the second
survey when the hydrocarbons in the sediment were highest.
The population of soft clams at Cow Island was much more
scarce than at Beals Cove during all surveys. The only adults
there were found up near the high tide mark, which appears
directly related to chronic spillage in the area continually
killing off the young clams. Those which settle near the high
water level would be out of reach during many of the spills.
The Mya cannot completely close their shells and they readily
incorporated the pollutant into their tissues. This presents
a potential danger, not only to human consumers (Blumer,
1971), but also to shore birds feeding on the flats. Burns
and Teal (1971) found high concentration of fuel oil
hydrocarbon in herring gulls feeding in the vicinity of the
West Falmouth spill well after the oil spill there.
Apparently, when the concentration of hydrocarbon decreased to
lower levels, as in Survey III, the young Mya were again able
to settle. The ultimate survival and maturation of these
young over the winter stress conditions cannot be known
without further study.
The polychaetes sampled at Cow Island were in very poor
condition as were those found during Survey III at the Beals
Cove station, practically disintegrating on screening. This
could have been an effect of the oil. Crapp et al (1971)
reported that fishermen found worms exposed to crude oil to be
flaccid and fragile.
It was significant that the rocky intertidal stations were
comparable in specied composition, except for the amphipod
populations. It is highly probable that either the Tamano
spill or the chronic pollution of the area has caused the loss
of the amphipods. These crustaceans have been found to be
sensitive indicators of hydrocarbon contamination (Blumer et
al, 1971; Sanders et al, 1972; Baker, 1971).
During the preliminary survey, we found significant washing
away of fucoid algae and barnacles from the heavily oiled
zones of rocky shoreline close to West Beach, Long Island.
Also, the amount of algae floating in the water of the Hussey
Sound area was evidence of the weakening of the holdfasts and
loss of algae from the rocks. The stations chosen for
continued monitoring were not In this area, because of the
amount of cleanup inspection activity the area was receiving
and because the extreme devastation did not lend itself to
monitoring * continuing effects. The stations which we
monitored did not exhibit differential population densities
between oiled and unoiled zones. They did, however, contain
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consistently smaller populations than the control stations.
Since the fauna1 assemblages were comparable in the two areas,
it must be assumed that the general environment of the Hussey
Sound area is poorer (i.e., chronic pollution) or that the
animals dropped away during the first few days after the
Tamano spill and, therefore, were already reduced at the time
of the first survey or a combination of both. There was some
indication of the dropping away during Survey I when
periwinkles were found lying upside down in tidal pools at Cow
Island. In controlled experiments, the snails, Littorina
littorea, _L. obtusata, the whelk, Thais lapillus, and the
limpet, Patella vulgata, suffered mortalities within six hours
of being subjected to fresh crude oil, and even the weathered
residue caused smothering, interference with movement and loss
of ability to withstand wave action (Crapp, 1971). Narcosis
has also been reported in snails exposed to oil.
The numbers of dead birds, particularly on Ram Island, were
much higher than would normally be expected. The low count on
the first survey may have resulted from the gulls and
cormorants being on their nests with the young just hatching,
rather than being out on the water amid the oil slicks. By
comparison, the eider ducks, as water-based birds, suffered
their mortalities as a group during Survey I.
Had the spill occurred in winter or during migration, effects
on the thousands of waterfowl that collect in the Casco Bay
area could have been far more serious. Even lightly oiled
birds suffer from loss of their natural insulation in winter
and die of exposure. Methods of rehabilitating oil-soaked
birds can be expensive and relatively ineffective. Maine
Audobon Society spent $800. to clean 23 birds oiled in the
Tamano spill and ten of these survived. These survival rates
and cleanup costs were better than many rehabilitation
operations in other spills, but the investment per bird is
still quite high.
Recruitment and Re-Population:
The results of the re-population studies on rock areas scraped
clean for this study were inconclusive (see Table 10). The
lichens which returned to cleared areas both on Hussey Sound
stations and control stations are the first stages of
successional growth on disturbed rock areas. The movement of
Littorina into bared areas indicated the presence also of the
microscopic bluegreen algae on which they graze. The movement
of Thais, a carnivorous dog whelk, onto bared areas may merely
have been from a random search for food. Furthermore, the
recruitment ratios and the population ratios gave mixed
results. These were calculated to determine whether the
greater numbers of snails moving onto bared areas at the
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control stations were merely a function of the greater overall
density of available animals in the control area. Thus, when
the recruitment ratio was much higher than the population
ratio, as at the sloping rock stations during Survey II, it
meant that recruitment to the bared area was much greater at
the control station even taking into account the fact that
greater numbers of animals were available to be recruited.
But by Survey III, the recruitment difference between oiled
areas and control areas was about what would be expected from
their relative population densities. By the same reasoning,
recruitment to bared areas on vertical rock stations was lower
at the control stations on Survey II than would be expected
from the relative population densities and higher at the
control station on Survey III.
As a further point, all animals repopulating the area were
mobile adult members of the community, whereas the real test
of substrate suitability will come with attempted settlement
by the young of sessile populations, such as barnacles, blue
mussels and seaweeds. The spawning peaks for these
populations will not take place until spring and early summer,
and thus, at least one year would be needed to assess the
success of recruitment to these areas.
Effectiveness of Cleanup:
Cleanup was severely hampered by a lack of marine and
pollution control equipment in the Portland area. Oil trapped
beneath the vessel, oil surfacing outboard the booms and oil
entrained in the water column at the 30 ft depth, as found in
this study, were all situations which were not amenable to our
current technology of treating oil on the surface. Oil
entrainment in the water column has the potential to be a
significant factor. Of special concern are such fractions as
low boiling aromatics, cresols, xenols, napthols,, quinolines,
pyridines, and hydroxybenzoquinolines, because these
components are highly toxic (Blumer, 1971) and also soluble in
water.
A serious obstacle to cleanup of shore areas was finding a
dumpsite for oiled debris. This problem resulted in piles of
harvested seaweed and oil-soaked hay left above the tide lines
on the shores. Stormy weather and rain then leached the oil
back out of the debris and down over the shore or carried
clumps of the wrack back out into the water for transport to
new areas. The cropping of the seaweed itself appeared to be
effective in removing oil from tHe intertidal area before it
could leach back out into the water. The longrange effect of
cropping extensive areas on the weed population per se can
only be known if a survey is made of the success of
resettlement on denuded areas over an annual cycle as compared
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with the condition and reproductive success of that which was
left to purge itself naturally. Of the seaweeds which were
not cut, only the Fucus, which was in the zone heavily covered
by oil, continued to harbor substantial concentrations of the
pollutant three-and-a-half months after the spill. Even so,
considerable amounts of the oil had washed away and that which
remained was severely weathered. Some of the seaweed strands
beneath the oil were withered and necrotic and thus, the value
of leaving the plant in the environment was questionable,
especially since the oil purged from its surface by the waves
would continue to contaminate elsewhere.
The cleanup of West Beach on Long Island by removing the layer
of oil-soaked sand was shown by our chemical analyses to be
effective in reducing oil in the surface layers by 98.5Z. If
this operation had been carried out within several weeks of
the spill, it would have still reduced the oil by 99.96% in
the surface layers and left much less residual concentrations
for further leaching (1.45 mg rather than 43.23 mg per gram
dry wt of sand). The experimental use of sorbent on the beach
was definitely proved ineffective. The sand itself was a
better sorbent than the materials mixed with it.( The effect
of harrowing the sorbent into the beach homogenized the oil
and sand, leaving the beach highly unstable and causing severe
leaching to subtidal areas. The operation to purge the rocks
of oil with hot water under pressure was a slow and costly
procedure with probably litle value, except aesthetics. The
immediate effects severly disturbed the biota, but the
long-term effectiveness will be determined by re-population in
the spring.
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SECTION VIII
REFERENCES CITED
Adams, W. R., Jr., 1972. Statement to the Hearings of the
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, U. S. House
of Representatives, Portland, 5 October.
Baker, J. M. Growth Stimulation Following Oil Pollution,
The Ecological Effects of Oil Pollution on Littoral
Communities.E. B. Cowell, ed., pp. 72-77, Applied
Science Publishers, Ltd., Barking, Essex, 1971.
Blumer, M., J. Souza, H. Sanders, H. Grassle and F. G. Hampson,
1970. The West Falmouth Oil Spill. W.H.O.I. Ref. 70-44.
Blumer, M. and J. Sass, 1972. The West Falmouth Oil Spill II.
Chemistry W.H.O.I. Tech. Rept. 72-19.
Burns, K. A. and J. Teal, 1971. Hydrocarbon Incorporation
Into Salt Marsh Ecosystem From the West Falmouth Oil
Spill, W.H.O.I. Tech. Rept. 71-69.
Crapp, G. B., R. G. Withers and C. E. Sullivan. Investigation
On Sandy and Muddy Shores, The Ecological Effects of Oil
Pollution on Littoral Communities. E. B. Cowell, ed.,
p. 216, Applied Science Publishers, Ltd., Barking, Essex,
1971.
Crapp, G. B. The Ecological Effects of Stranded Oil, The
Ecological Effects of Oil Pollution on Littoral Communities.
E. B. Cowel, ed., pp. 181-186, Applied Science Publishers,
Ltd., Barking, Essex, 1971.
McCann, R., 1972. Statement to Hearings of the Committee
On Merchant Marine and Fisheries, U. S. House of
Representatives, Portland, 5 October.
Sanders, H., 1956. Oceanograpy of Long Island Sound 1952-1954.
X. The Biology of Marine Bottom Communities. Bull. Bing.
Oceanogr. Coll. 15: 345-414.
Sanders, H., J. F. Grassle and G. R. Hampson, 1972. The West
Falmouth Oil Spill, I. Biology. W.H.O.I. Tech. Rept. 72-20.
%
Scarratt, D. J. and V. Zitko, 1972. Bunker-C Oil in Sediments
and Benthic Animals from Shallow Depths in Chedabucko Bay,
N. S. J. Fish Res. Bd. Canada 29: 1347-1350.
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VAST, Inc., 1972. Oil Spill, Long Island Sound, March 21, 1972.
Environmental Effects, Final Report for the Office of
Water Programs, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
August, 1972.
Welsh, B. and V. Lee, 1972. (Unpublished Report). Inspection
Of Beach on Long Island in Casco Bay on 6, 7 and 9
September, 1972. Prepared for U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Region I, 13 September 1972.
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SECTION IX
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We are most grateful to Carl Eidam, Environmental Protection
Agency Oceanographer, Region I, for guidance throughout the
study.
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GLOSSARY
SCIENTIFIC NAME
COMMON NAME
ALGAE
Ascophyllum nodosum
Fucus spiralis
Fucus vesiculosus
ARTHROPODA
Balanus balanoldes
Homarus americanus
ECHINODERMATA
Asterlas forbesi
Echinarachnius
MOLLUSCA
Acmaea testudinalis
Admente couthouyi
Cerastoderma pinnulatum
Crenella faba
Cumlnga tellinoides
CT&IDD&SI ฃGnnDH.
Littorlna obtusata
Littorina saxtilis
Mercenarla mercenaria
Mya arenaria
Mytilus edulls
Nassarius obsoletus
Nassarius trlvittatus
Nucula proxima
Periploma leanum
Periploma papyratlum
Pitar morrhuana
Retusa canaliculata
Yoldia limatula
Knotted Wrack
Spiral Rockweed
Rockweed
Rock Barnacle
American Lobster
Common Eastern Starfish
Atlantic Sand Dollar
Atlantic Plate Limpet
Common Northern Admete
Northern Dwarf Cockle
Faba Crenella
Tellin Like Cumingia
Nut Clam
Northern Yellow Periwinkle
Northern Rough Periwinkle
Hard-Shell Clam
Soft-Shell Clam
Common Blue Mussel
Eastern Mud Nassa
New England Nassa
Atlantic Nut Clam
Lea's Spoon Clam
Paper Spoon Clam
Morrhua Venus
Channeled Barrel-Bubble
File Yoldia
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SECTION X
APPENDIX A
INSPECTION OF BEACH
ON SEPT. 6, 7 and 9, 1972
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INSPECTION OF BEACH ON LONG ISLAND IN CASCO BAY
ON
SEPTEMBER 6, 7 and 9, 1972
On September 6, 1972, VAST, Inc., responded to a request by
EPA to evaluate the present condition of the beach on the
southern end of the NW shore of Long Island in Casco Bay and
to advise (1) whether the beach should be cleaned up, (2)
whether such cleanup should be undertaken immediately, and (3)
whether the method of on-site cleaning proposed by Altenberg
and Kirk provided a feasible alternative to the method of
removal proposed by the Coast Guard, as advised by the EPA.
We were further asked to comment upon the cleaning operations
underway in the rocky area immediately north of the beach
site.
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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
THE BEACH
1. The oil-soaked beach at Long Island presents a potential
hazard through:
a. The leaching of oil and oiled adsorbent
to the water column for transport to
new areas, including black duck, eider,
cormorant, osprey and gull feeding
grounds, intertidal mussel and clam beds.
b. The erosion of oil-soaked sands to the
benthic communities directly offshore
and subsequent transport to new areas.
Of special concern here are
(1) contamination of lobsters with
sublethal doses of substances
potentially harmful to consumers, but
undetectable by smell or taste,
(2) entry and concentration of
substances into the aquatic food web,
and (3) degradation of the substrate as
a settling area for new larvae and
lethal to young stages.
2. This hazard is enhanced by:
a. Seasonal effects. Erosional
conditions typically set in with
fall and winter stormy weather.
b. Attempts at cleaning. The areas
disturbed by cleaning are softer,
their normal sorting pattern is
upset and they are more vulnerable
to erosion. Increased leaching
from this disturbed area is
already apparent.
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3. We recommend that removal of the oil-soaked portion of the
sand be carried out as soon as possible for the following
reasons:
a. The sooner the removal takes
place, the smaller the amount
of sand that will have to be
removed, since (1) leaching
deeper to new uncontaminated
levels will continue to
increase the depth to which
the sand must be removed, and
(2) the erosion of uncontaminated
sand from above the tide line
is adding material over the top
which is additional yardage to
be removed along with the old
sand.
b. The .fall season has already begun
and the weather conditions can be
expected to deteriorate causing
(1) increased erosion over the
next six to eight months, and
(2) deteriorating working
conditions for the removal
operations.
c. The onset of winter will bring
(1) flocking of shore birds to
the inshore areas and their
increased vulnerability to oil,
because of low temperatures, and
(2) additidnal temperature
stress conditions to marine
populations with increased
vulnerability to the additional
stress of oil pollution.
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THE ROCKS
1. The lipophyllic nature of the mucopolysaccharide
substances in the fucoid algae apparently enhances their
absorption of oil, which is then leached back to the water
column.
2. It is recommended that these algae be completely removed
in heavily soaked areas and cut back in moderately
contaminated areas, leaving the holdfasts for regrowth.
3. It is recommended that the harvested algae be completely
removed from the area, rather than left ฃn piles above the
tide line where leaching will continue in rainy weather
and storms will wash it back into the water.
4. It is recommended that the seawater cleaning operations on
the rocks be discontinued, because (1) it is costly and
not very effective in cleaning the rocks, (2) it is
causing oil to be washed down over uncontaminated portions
of the rocky shore community, and (3) it is highly
probable that winter storms and ice scouring will
effectively cleanse the rocks for re-population in the
spring.
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OBSERVATIONS
The beach site was visited on the afternoon of September 6,
1972, by Wadsworth Owen, Barbara Welsh and Virginia Lee of
VAST, Inc., accompanying the EPA representatives. About a
dozen persons were shoveling oil and sand into large drums
from heavily paved surface areas. One of the workers stated
that she had been involved with beach cleaning operations for
about six weeks. Earlier in the week, adsorbent was raked
into the sand to a depth of 4 to 6 inches over a patch area
and raked out again after the tide covered the area, thus,
floating the adsorbent to the surface where it was retrieved
with shovels and deposited in oil drums. This worker observed
that the beach appeared cleaner immediately after the
operation, but by the next day, it was oily again, presumably
from bleed from underlying sand and adjacent areas. She felt
that hand raking did not penetrate deeply enough.
The surface of the beach consisted of large areas of pavement
interspersed with areas of relatively clean sand. This
constrasted with observations by the VAST field team
immediately after the spill when the entire beach was paved to
a depth 10 cm from the upper tide line to low water. Digging
beneath the cleaner surface areas disclosed a distinct band of
heavily oiled sand from 2 to 4 inches wide and lying from 2 to
4 inches beneath the cleaner surface area. The band edges
were sharply defined and clear sand was encountered below it.
In areas where a pavement existed at the surface, we observed
a band of clean sand beneath the pavement, then a fairly
distinct band of oiled sand before encountering the clean sand
again at depth. It appears that the clean sand has eroded
from uncontaminated sand or leaching of oil from adjacent
areas to repave the surface. We estimate that the depth of
contamination of the beach varies from 2 to 8 inches. In the
area where raking had been attempted, the sand was homogenized
from the surface to approximately 6 inches, consisting of oil,
sand and the perlite adsorbent.
We inspected an uncontaminated beach of about the same grain
size and NW exposure on Peaks Island. There we found clumps
of living mussels, starfish, aggregations of gammarid
amphipods beneath larger rocks, many Nereis virens and a red
worm probably the oligochaete Clytella. There was a large
amount of clean Fucus wrack along the tide line colonized by
amphipods. Some caution must be exercised in comparing this
beach with that on Long Island. This beach is probably
normally a more stable beach than that of Long Island,
resulting from its position out of the main currents of Hussey
Sound. Thus, under normal conditions, there is most likely a
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sparser fauna at Long Island.
On September 7, 1972, five members of the VAST field team
visited the beach on Long Island with representatives of the
EPA to observe further experimentation with the cleanup method
of Altenberg and Kirk. Three types of adsorbent were harrowed
into a stretch of beach about 40 ft by 200 ft at about
mid-tide level. When the tide rose to cover the stretch, it
was harrowed again with 12-inch discs and a team of horses
just below the tide line. During this phase of the operation,
a boom was deployed out-board of the area to retain the
oil-soaked adsorbent and any oil which came to the surface.
The used adsorbent was then shoveled into barrels. Seawater
from a pressure hose was used along the tidal edge to prevent
resettlement of the oil.
During the retrieval portion of the operation, two divers ran
transects of underwater observations from outside the boom
into water about 25 ft deep. They observed that the beach
sloped off fairly regularly with low ripple zones 1 to 2
inches high. It was coarse sand and cobble until it reached a
drop-off of about 1 ft. The drop was about 150 ft from the
upper edge of the beach area and about 50 ft offshore during
the harrowing, but only 5 ft below the tide line, as measured
later in the day. The area inshore of the drop was completely
oil-coated. Small dark flecks or blobs of oil were visible
all over the surface. Beyond the drop was an area of larger
rocks interspersed with fine sand, so that the basic substrate
was considerably finer grained than the area before the drop.
Little algae were growing in this swatch, which extended about
20 ft beyond the drop-off to a zone of eel-grass. Beyond the
eel-grass zone was Laminaria. The zones outside the drop-off
appeared free of oil.
There was much silt in the water column, especially just
outside the boom operation. A southward moving current
appeared to be keeping the material in suspension. At one
point, pieces of foam adsorbent between 0.75 and 1.5 inches in
diameter were seen in the water column at "various depths,
carried out under and beyond the boom.
In the fine sand beyond the drop-off, many very small (less
than 1 mm) Littorina peppered the bottom, perhaps as many as
100 in a four-inch square. There were many crabs (Cancer
irroratus), estimated at a density of about one per meter
squared; also two species of starfish, sea scallops
(Placopecten magellanicus) and hermit crabs (Pagarus). The
starfish were estimated at about the same density as the
crabs, with scallops and hermit crabs perhaps only one-third
as dense. There were many* horse mussel shells seen, but no
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live mussels. Five young flounder were observed between the
grass beds and the drop and one was seen over the oiled area.
There were many snails of the genus Thais around the kelp and
on the rocks. Aufwuchs on the Zostera comprised worm tubes
and Littorina. Littorina were also on the kelp. Burrowing
worms were evident from their tubes and castings in areas
between the rocks. During this dive, a sample of the sediment
was taken of oily sand above the drop-off, another sample
beyond it and a water sample was taken just beyond the boom.
Wading observations beyond the boomed area during the cleanup
phase showed the water surface peppered with small, dark blobs
of oil and some adsorbent. When the substrate was disturbed,
oil blobs and adsorbent bubbled to the surface from the
harrowed portion. When an area which had not been harrowed
was disturbed, some oil did bubble to the surface, but in very
much smaller amounts.
The beach was again observed over the harrowed portion on the
next low tide. The oil was more apparent at the surface of
the experimental plot than it was in undisturbed areas. Again
the process had resulted in homogenization of sand, oil and
adsorbent to a depth of 20 cm and the bearing strength had
decreased to a point where it was difficult to walk over.
Samples of sand at depths of 0 to 10 cm, 10 to 20 cm and 20 to
30 cm were taken for hydrocarbon analysis from within the
harrowed area and in an undisturbed area. Samples of the
homogenized portion were collected for analysis of the amount
of adsorbent remaining in the sand. The natural sorting of
the beach was completely disturbed with apparent loss of fine
sand at the surface.
There were areas of perlite adsorbent scattered over
approximately the upper third of the intertidal zone and also
areas of green foam. The adsorbents used were silicone
treated perlite made, by Whitmore Products, Inc., of
Roslindale, Massachusetts, and Insulfoam, Urethane masonary
fill insulation made by Foam Products Plastics Corp., in
Haverhill, Massachusetts. The perlite still appeared white
after use. The foam, when mixed with the sand, appeared to
adsorb little oil. When seen floating on the water inside the
boom, some of the pieces did pick up a large amount of oil.
Our conclusions were that the method released oil from the
sediments, but the bulk of the oil remained in the sand. It
would appear that the sand is differentially more adsorbent
than the foam and that little direct exchange took place. The
bulk of oil adsorbed within the boomed area was probably taken
up after its release to the water.
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The disturbance of the sand resulted in a much less stable
substrate, which is very likely to increase the rate of
migration of contaminant to the clean areas beyond the
drop-off. The worked area appears to be much more vulnerable
to leaching from rain, as well as tidal action increasing the
danger. The homogenization of the upper layer has increased
the depth of sand which must be removed to cleanse the beach.
It has also entrapped adsorbent particles which will continue
to pop out and float away with subsequent tidal cycles,
spreading contamination. Any natural stability which might
have been achieved to isolate the oil, such as sun-baking at
the surface and covering with clean sand was destroyed by the
harrowing, so that erosion and increased bleeding to the water
column seems inevitable. In the water off the harrowed
portion, there was a distinguishable area of greater leaching
observed on September 9, 1972, two days aften the trial.
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ROCKY SHORE ZONE
The rocky shore zone on Long Island was being cleaned by
pressurized seawater at 170ฐF. The saturated Fucus had been
removed from the rocks before the pressurized water was
applied. The method appeared to take a large amount of oil
off in the immediate vicinity of the workers. Other areas,
declared already finished, did not appear improved to any
great extent. Some cleaning was carried out when the tidal
level was below the contaminated zone, causing the oil to pass
over this zone, which indicated poor supervision of the
project.
The area outside the cleaning operation was inspected by one
of our divers. There were lots of bottles and small rocks
over a silt bottom with some gravel. There were eel-grass
(Zostera) and kelp (T-amlnaria) beds offshore which were not as
dense as those off the beach. This could have resulted from
the greater boating traffic in the area, which is just south
of the public landing. The area was inspected to the 25 ft
depth. There was no shelf formation. There was much
suspended matter in the water, but no visible oil on the
bottom. The suspended material was small, white flaky
particles, much like the floe observed below the oil in the F.
L. Hayes spill in Long Island Sound near the Connecticut
shore.
The fauna were generally more diverse and more abundant than
that observed off the beach. Hermit crabs (Pagarus) and
starfish were most abundant at an estimated density of three
per square meter. The crab Cancer and the sea scallops were
estimated at one per meter squared. Empty urchin casts were
found, but no live urchins were seen. Leather worms were
apparent from their burrows and mucus traps at an estimated
density of one worm every three meters squared. Littorina and
Thais were also present.
It was the opinion of our divers that this section was not
being contaminated by the rock cleaning operation. We feel
that the rock cleaning is not very effective relative to its
expense. It appears that stripping the rocks of the heavily
contaminated seaweeds does help prevent heavy leaching. We do
not know whether stripping accelerates the return to a normal
condition. We are attempting to determine this at our rocky
shore station under our task force contract to EPA.
116
-------
APPENDIX B
EVALUATION OF CLEANUP OPERATIONS
and
ANALYSIS OF THE LONGER-TERM BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
117
-------
ABSTRACT
This report presents the results of a ten-day survey of both the
intertidal rocky zones and beaches in Casco Bay conducted by TRC - THE
RESEARCH CORPORATION Of New England in August of 1973. The purpose of
the survey was to assess the effectiveness of beach and rock cleanup
operations and the longer-term biological effects one year after the
TAMANO oil spill, which occurred in July of 1972.
-------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
CONCLUSIONS 1
RECOMMENDATIONS 2
INTRODUCTION 3
METHODS 4
Field Methods 6
Laboratory Methods 7
RESULTS 8
Recovery and General Condition of Intertidal Populations 8
I Uncleaned Rocks 8
Sloping Rock Stations - General Observations 8
Sloping Rock Stations - Discussion of Results 9
Vertical Rock Stations - General Observations 19
Vertical Rock Stations - Discussion of Results 25
II Recolonization Studies 26
Vertical Rock Stations 27
Sloping Rock Stations 31
Effectiveness of Clean-up Procedures 31
I Rock Cleaning With Pressurized Hot Water 38
II Effects of Seaweed Cropping on Cow Island 38
III Effectiveness of Beach Sand Removal 39
Effects of Tamano Spill on Soft Shell Clam Populations 44
REFERENCES CITED 49
ii
-------
FIGURES
Page
1 Casco Bay (Location of Accident; The Tamano at
Anchor (II) 5
2 Upper Tidal Zone at Cow Island - Up to 70% of
Barnacles Dead 13
3 Lower Tidal Zone at Bailey Island Sloping Rock
Showing Dog Whelks Grazing on Barnacles 14
4 Upper Tidal Zone at Bailey Island Sloping Rock
Shoving Dense Fucus 15
5 Cow Island - Brown Algae Zone 16
6 Bailey Island - Brown Algae Zone 17
7 Long Island - Upper Rocks Adjacent to Sampling
Station 21
8 Long Island - Cleared Strip (Center) Showing
This Year's Barnacle Set 22
9 Bailey Island Vertical Rock - Mid and Lower Tidal
Zones 23
10 Long Island Cleared Strip, Right Side - Uncleared
Strip, Left Side 24
11 Bailey Island Cleared Strip, Right Third of
Picture 30
i
12 Cow Island Cleared Strip, Lower Mid Zone 34
13 Long Island - Pressurized Hot Water Cleaned Rocks
in Lower Tidal Zone 35
14 Long Island - Pressurized Hot Water Cleaned Rocks
in Uppe.r Tidal Zone 36
15 Cow Island - Point Where Seaweed Was Cropped 40
16 Cow Island - Cropped Ascophyllum 41
iii
-------
17 Long Island - Cleaned Beach 45
18 Mya arenaria Intertldal Clam Flats
Size/Frequency Distribution (Survey III,
November 1972) 46
19 Mya arenaria Intertidal Clam Flats
Size/Frequency Distribution (Survey IV,
August 19.73) 47
iv
-------
TABLES
Page
1 Total Number of Species at Intertidal Rock
Stations 10
2 Number of Organisms at the Sloping Rock Stations
Per 0.01 m2 11
3 Wet Weight in Grams of Algae in Control and
Oiled Stations per 100 cm2 12
o
4 Number of Organisms per 0.01 m 20
5 Total Numbers and Rank Order of Dominant Species 28
6 Recolonization of Cleared Strips of Intertidal
Rock Stations 29
7 Cleared Strips at Intertidal Rock Stations
(Vertical Rock Stations) 32
8 Cleared Strips at Intertidal Rock Stations
(Sloping Rock Stations) 33
9 Long Island Rocks - Cleaned by Hot Water
Numbers of Organisms per 0.01 m2 37
10 Areas of Cropped Algae - Cow Island ซ
Total Numbers of Organisms per 0.01 m 42
-------
CONCLUSIONS
With respect to the four major objectives of the study reported
herein, the following conclusions can be supported:
(1) One year and one reproductive cycle after the
TAMANO oil spill, young of the dominant inter-
tidal species have recolonized the uncleaned
rocks of Casco Bay. However, the total species
diversity and abundance at the oiled stations
are still lower than at the control stations.
(2) Cleaning of oiled rocks of the lower tidal zone
by means of pressurized hot water
appears to aid the survival of organisms.
(3) Seaweed cropping to prevent re-introduction of
oil into the water column has a deleterious
effect on its re-growth as opposed to natural
recovery of the seaweed.
(4) Beach Cleaning The beach removal procedures
used at Casco Bay after the TAMANO spill did
remove a large portion of the oil, and it did
not adversely alter the physical characteristics
of the beach at Long Island.
(5) Although some clams survived one year following
oil contamination, the clam flats on Cow Island
are still disturbed.
(6) Reduction of diversity of amphipods at the
control station during this survey, with a
simultaneous re-occurrence of some amphipods
at the oiled stations, may reflect some oil
encroachment into the control areas.
(7) The absence of amphipods at the oiled stations
in the first three surveys and then a reduction
at the control areas during this survey suggest
that these animals are highly sensitive
indicators of oil pollution.
-------
RECOMMENDATIONS
(1) Ranges of temperature and pressure should be
determined to increase the effectiveness of
rock washing in the upper tidal zone.
(2) Beach removal procedures used at Casco Bay
were effective and should continue to be
used in similar situations.
(3) The feasibility of establishing indicator
organisms should be investigated. Basic
knowledge of their behavior, physiology
and ecology will improve biological assess-
ment of an oil spill.
(4) Rigorous extraction methods, such as Soxhlet
extraction, should be incorporated into the
analytical procedures when sediments are
analyzed for oil content.
(5) Cropping seaweed to prevent re-introduction
of oil into the water column should be
initiated only after careful consideration
of the environmental priorities.
-------
INTRODUCTION
ฃ>
In July 1972, the tanker TAMANO struck Soldiers Ledge in Casco
Bay, Maine, tearing a hole in one of her tanks and spilling a reported
100,000 gallons of Number 6 Fuel Oil of the low pour variety. Short-
term biological effects of the spilled oil were studied by VAST, Inc. ,
under contract to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during
three field surveys in July, September, and November of 1972.
The EPA decided to determine the effectiveness of beach and rock
cleaning operations. An additional objective was to investigate longer-
term biological effects of the oil spill in Casco Bay. Accordingly,
TRC THE RESEARCH CORPORATION Of New England, a subsidiary of VAST,
Inc. , was commissioned by the EPA to conduct an additional survey during
August, 1973, for these purposes.
This report presents the results of a ten-day survey conducted at
some of the same stations in Casco Bay used in the three earlier
surveys. The same sampling and analytical methods used in the previous
surveys were used again to provide comparative data.
The specific objectives of the study were:
1. To determine the recovery and general
health of the intertidal population
affected by the TAMANO spill after
one year and one reproductive cycle,
i.e., the longer-term impact.
2. To determine the effectiveness of the
rock cleaning operations conducted
immediately following the spill.
3. To determine the long-term effective-
ness of beach cleanup procedures
employed just after the spill.
4. To determine if the absence of clams
and amphipods noted previously at the
stations impacted by the spilled oil
can be attributed to the TAMANO spill.
-------
METHODS
The following experimental design was used in this re-survey to
attain the program objectives:
(1) The oiled stations and control (unoiled)
stations used in the three earlier surveys
were again evaluated and compared with
respect to diversity and density of
organisms, including both plant and animal
communities. Station locations are shown
in Figure 1. As shown, the oily stations
are in the southwest portion of Casco Bay,
whereas the control stations are toward the
northeastern portion of the Bay. The
purpose of this comparison for this current
survey was to determine whether or not
variations found in cleaned areas of rocks,
beaches or in cropped algae zones could be
attributed to natural seasonal variations
or to the effects of cleaning. Longer-term
effects of the oil spill on the intertidal
ecosystems in Casco Bay were also ascertained
by this technique.
(2) Diversity and density of organisms between
cleaned and uncleaned areas both within and
between oiled and control stations were
studied to establish the effectiveness of
cleaning operations on re-settlement. The
sample areas were further subdivided into
vertical rock stations and sloping rock
stations because while these areas have
similar species, the areal distribution of
plants and animals is different and they
are also subject to different physical
forces within the environment.
(3) Intertidal sampling stations were divided
into two zones: (a) the upper tidal zone,
which visually had been most heavily
impacted by the spilled oil, and (b) the
lower tidal zone, which had also been
impacted by oil but apparently to a lesser
degree.
4
-------
FIGURE 1
CASCO BAY
location of the Accident (I). The Tamano at Anchor (II),
0123
NAUTICA1 MILES
C
D
E, F, G
H
I
K
W
X
LEGEND
Sloping Rock, Cow Island
Intertidal Mud, Cow Island, Clam
Flats
Vertical Rock, Long Island
Benthic Sampling Station, Long
Island
Rockeries
Vertical Rock, Bailey Island
(Control)
Sloping Rock, Bailey Island
.(Control)
Clam Flat, Beals Cove, Orrs
Island (Control)
Mid-Bay Water
West Beach
-------
(4) Effectiveness of beach removal operations
was evaluated by visual inspection of
cleaned beach with respect to the apparent
physical condition of the beach. Sediment
samples were collected from three depths
at a cleared beach and analyzed for oil
content. Other samples were collected from
& non-cleared area of the same beach.
(5) Longer-term effects of the oil spill on
intertidal soft-shell clam populations
were evaluated by determining the length
frequency distribution of the clams during
this survey, and comparing the results with
the results obtained during Survey III
(November, 1972).
Field Methods:
a. Intertidal Rocky Stations - On each intertidal rock station,
on Cow Island (A) and Bailey Island (I) [See Figure l], counts of the
organisms were made using 10 x 10 cm grids, three on the lower tidal
zone and three on the upper tidal zone. After counting, the organisms
within each grid were scraped from the rock and taken to the laboratory
for closer inspection and identification. Strips that had been cleared
at each station during the July 1972, survey were sampled similarly.
b. Beaches - Beach sands were collected in clean glass bottles
from two depths at three different stations on West Beach, Long Island
(X). All these samples were taken from the lower mid-beach; two were
taken within the area where oily sand was removed and one taken outside
of this area. These were returned to TRC for analysis of oil content.
In addition, samples were taken at three depths: 0-10 cm, 20 - 30 cm,
and 30 - 40 cm at one station in the area that had been cleaned.
c. Clam Flats - Intertidal clam flats at Cow Island (B) were
sampled by collecting three sediment samples, 25 x 30 x 35 cm volume
each. Three similar samples were collected at the control station at
Beals Cove, Orr Island (R). The samples were sifted through 1 mm mesh
screens. The soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, was separated out, counted
and measured along the hinge line.
6
-------
Laboratory Methods;
Biological samples were frozen upon returning from the field to
prevent decay. Each grid sample was sorted and speciated under a
dissecting microscope. Numbers of species and numbers of individuals
of each species were enumerated for each of the intertidal rock
stations. Wet weight of seaweed (macroalgae) was measured for Fucus
or Ascophyllum collected in the grid samples.
Beach sediments were extracted at our operating base in Casco Bay
immediately upon return from the field. Twenty-five ml of carbon tetra-
chloride were added to approximately 100 grams wet weight of sediment
and stirred for one minute with a glass rod. The CC1, and extracted oil
was decanted into a 100 ml volumetric flask and the washing process
repeated with three more 25 ml CC1, extractions. The extractions were
taken to TRC's Chemistry Laboratory for infrared analysis.
Upon receipt of these extracts in our Chemistry Laboratory, they
were passed through one-inch of anhydrous sodium sulfate to remove
traces of water. The sodium sulfate was then flushed with carbon tetra-
chloride to wash all the oil through. The extracts were then placed in
100 ml volumetric flasks and diluted to volume with Spectrograde carbon
tetrachloride. A solvent blank was carried through the same field
extraction and laboratory procedure as the samples. A portion of each
extract was then scanned in the range of 4000 cm"1 to 2400 cm'1 on a
Perkin-Elmer Model 727 Infrared Spectrophotometer with spectrograde
carbon tetrachloride in the reference beam. The cells employed were
standard matched silica cells and, depending on the concentration of
oil in the sample, the pathlength used was either 1 cm or 5 cm.
In order to quantify results, a sample of the Number 6 Fuel Oil
obtained from the TAMANO was weighed and diluted to volume with
Spectrograde carbon tetrachloride. From this stock solution, a series
of standards were prepared. The absorbance values, from these standards
were used to prepare a- calibration curve. The concentration of oil in
the samples was then read from this curve.
-------
RESULTS
RECOVERY AND GENERAL CONDITION OF INTERTIDAL POPULATIONS
I Uncleaned Rocks
As Indicated previously, investigations of species diversity and
population density were carried out in oiled and control stations on
both vertical and sloping rocks in the intertidal zone. The results
and discussion for vertical and sloping rocks are presented separately
below.
Sloping Rock Stations - General Observations
A substantial difference in species diversity and abundance is
found between the oiled (Cow Island) and control (Bailey Island)
sloping rock stations. Table 1 shows that nearly twice as many species
are present at the control as at the oiled station; twenty species are
present at Bailey Island, as opposed to twelve at Cow Island. It is in
the lower tidal zone (see Table 2). Some of those species absent at
Cow Island are crustaceans two species of mites (Halacaridae),
copepods and an unidentified crustacean larva. One species of amphipod,
Hyale prevostii, is present at Cow Island but at a very low density
compared to Bailey Island. Total numbers of barnacles (Balanus
balanoides) are comparable for both stations, although densities by
zone differ between stations.
Roundworms (Nematoda) and flatworms (Platyhelmintb.es) present at
Bailey Island are not found at Cow Island. Although a polychaetous
species (an annelid worm) living in association with Balanus balanoides
is present at both control and oiled stations, the density is lower at
the oiled station.
Three species of periwinkles (Littorina) are among the dominant
organisms at both Bailey and Cow Island but vary in their proportional
numbers at these stations. Littorina littorea is sparsely represented
at both stations, although in somewhat denser numbers at Cow Island.
Littorina obtusata is more abundant at the control than at the oiled
station. Littorina saxatilis, however, is considerably more abundant
at Cow Island. This is true also for Skenea planorbis, another gastro-
pod, and for an isopod which is about twice as abundant at the oiled
station. ,
8
-------
Dog whelks are more abundant at Bailey Island than at Cow Island,
with no egg cases of the species being present at the oiled station.
Mussels present at Bailey Island outnumber those at Cow Island. A
moderately abundant hydroid found on the rocks and macroalgae at
Bailey Island is absent at Cow Island.
Table 3 shows comparable wet weights for macroalgae taken from
the randomly selected sloping rock stations on Cow Island and Bailey
Island. However, the visual observations indicate that the algal
growth on both islands is more luxuriant than suggested by the table.
Sloping Rock Stations - Discussion of Results
Laboratory analyses reveal that the dominant species at Cow Island
have not recovered from the impact of the oil spill. At the oiled and
control stations, barnacles and blue mussels (Mytilus) have exchanged
ranks since Survey III to first and second place, respectively. The
control station has about twice as many barnacles in the upper tidal
zone as in the lower tidal zone, whereas at the oiled station, the
converse is true. Furthermore, mortality of barnacles in the upper
tidal zone at Cow Island is more than twice as great as mortality in
the comparable zone at Bailey Island. This is supported by field
observations. Figure 2 shows one representative area of the upper
littoral zone at the oiled station where up to seventy per cent of the
barnacles are dead. This includes some mortality of this years set
which died after settling on the oily rocks. In contrast, barnacles
are abundant and healthy on the upper rock of the control station. On
the lower rock of this control station, barnacle mortality is approxi-
mately twice as great as that on the lower rock at Cow Island. This
difference can most probably be attributed to grazing by the dog whelks
(Thais lapillus) , which is abundant in this zone at the control station.
Clusters of this organism grazing on barnacles can be seen in Figure 3.
At Cow Island, numbers of this gastropod were much reduced. This may
account for lower barnacle mortality in the lower tidal zone at Cow
Island.
Recolonization of the rocks by rockweed (Fucus) is beginning,
although slowly. Fronds of this macroalgae are approximately 2 - 3 cm
in length and very sparsely scattered in most of the upper tidal zone.
Settlement appears to occur in those crevices and areas where silt has
accumulated. It is interesting that removal of the top layers of this
sediment often reveals a mixture of unweathered oil and older sediment
deposits. In the upper tidal zone of Cow Island (Figure 2), Fucus is
sparse compared to the Fucus of the same zone at Bailey Island
(Figure 4). In contrast, knotted wrack (Ascophyllum) and Fucua are as
dense in the lower tidal zone at Cow Island (Figure 5) as those algae
-------
TABLE 1
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES AT INTERTIDAL ROCK STATIONS
Sloping Rock Stations
Vertical Rock Stations
Cow Island
(oiled)
Bailey Island
(control)
Cow Island
Cleaned Strip
(oiled)
Bailey Island
Cleaned Strip
(control)
12
.20
14
10
Long Island
(oiled)
Bailey Island
(control)
Long Island
Cleaned Strip
(oiled)
Bailey Island
Cleaned Strip
(control)
10
13
8
-------
TAJIK ป
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS AT THE SLOPING ROCK STATIONS PER 0
.01 M2
Speciea
ANNELIDA
'Polychaeta coonenaal
with Balaaua
ARTHROPODA
Ajgphipod Type A
Hyale prevoatti (Type B)
Mutilated amphipoda
Anurlda aritlma
Balanua balanoidea
Cope po da
Crustacean larva
Balacarldae - red
laopoda Type A
MOLLUSCA
Llttorlna littorea
Llttorlna obtusata
Llttorlna aaxatllla
Mytilua edulla
Mytilua spat*
Skenea planorbia
Tellina agllle
Thaia egg caaea
Thais laplllus
REMATODA
PLATYHELMINTHES
TOTAL FAUNAL NUMBERS
Bailey laland (Control)
Survey III
743
995
138
879
.21
8
2784
Lower Rock
US
1
39
3
27
157
2
2
1
2
2
216
3
293
1
2
18
12
39
2
919
Upper Rock
5
92
14
334
2
50
34
5
1
532
Cow laland (Oiled)
Survey III
777
1
405
223
912
164
2482
Lower Rock
302
1
2
9
17
aparae
U
1
343
Upper Rock
23
4
2
153
8
8
39
11
32 ,
oderate
280
Value* taken from Caaco Bay I report.
Hot Included la total faunal nuefean.
-------
TABLE 3
WET WEIGHT IN GRAMS OF ALGAE IN CONTROL AND OILED STATIONS PER 100 CM
Zone
Station
High Rock
Low Rock
High Rock
Low Rock
Bailey Island
(Control)
Cow Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Cow Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Long Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Long Island
(Oiled)
Survey
I
July 1972
187
32
803
44
31
0
33
.37
II
.September 1972
Sloping Rock
80
68
1888
223
III
November 1972
89
36
551
248
IV
August 1973
97
81
78
Vertical Rock
28
20
168
41
24
21
191
62
10
10
260
44
ro
-------
FIGURE 2:
Upper Tidal Zone at Cow Island - Up to 70% of Barnacles L
13
-------
FIGURE 3:
Lower Tidal Zone at Bailey Island Sloping Rock Showing
Dog Whelks Grazing on Barnacles
-------
FIGURE 4:
Upper Tidal Zone at Bailey Island Sloping Rock Showing
Dense Fucus
15
-------
3ฎ-
'*?- ^^
FIGURE 5:
Cow Island - Brown Algae Zone
:
-------
SKgwS^^%ฃฃ
'ปvป.>i"?-*-?ง*(%f ฅiV' '*??iป ' ^''v
FIGURE 6:
t
Bailey Island - Brown Algae Zone
17
-------
in the same zone at Bailey Island (Figure 6). The seaweed at both
stations is lush and healthy. It would appear that where seaweed was
killed off by the oil, such as in the upper tidal zone at Cow Island,
recolonization is slowly occurring. Where the initial impact of the
oil was not as great, such as in the lower tidal or Ascophyllum zone,
recovery of the seaweed has been complete.
An important finding of Survey IV is the presence of amphipods at
the oiled station for the first time during any survey. One species of
amphipod is present at Cow Island, although at much fewer numbers than
at Bailey Island. Equally important as the presence of amphipods at
the oiled station is a reduction in the diversity of amphipod species
at the control station since last year. This may reflect a natural
fluctuation in the population. It is interesting to note, however,
that the same species, Hyale prevostii, is dominant at both control and
oiled stations this year. A second species is also found at the control
station. Blumer et al (1971), Sanders et al (1972), and Baker (1971)
have shown that amphipods are indicator organisms for oil pollution.
These animals are widely distributed and are one of the most resistant
groups of organisms to adverse changes in the environment (Runkel 1918).
The susceptibility to oil may be due to its particular niche and
morphology which makes avoidance of the oil nearly impossible. One
might conclude that the other species of Crustacea lacking at Cow Island
mites, copepods, and crustacean larvae are similar to amphipods
in their exposure and vulnerability to oil. In contrast, knotted wrack
(Ascophyllum) and Fucus are as dense in the lower tidal zone at Cow
IsjLand (Figure 5) as those algae in the same zone at Bailey Island
(Figure 6). The seaweed at both stations is lush and healthy. It
would appear that where seaweed was killed off by the oil, such as in
the upper tidal zone at Cow Island, recolonization is slowly occurring.
Where the initial impact of the oil was not as great, such as in the
lower tidal zone or Ascophyllum zone, recovery of the seaweed has been
complete.
Distributions of the periwinkles, Littorina obtusata and Littorina
saxatilis differ considerably at the control and oiled stations (see
Table 2). An increase in the proportional numbers of L. saxatilis to
L. obtusata is evident at the oiled station, while the abundance of
L^ obtusata far exceeds that of L_. saxatilis at the control station.
This difference might be due to varying degrees of resistance to oil
by the two species. L. saxatilis is a relatively hardy species which
can live in the spray zone of the rocks. Due to a gill cavity which
functions as a sort of "lung", this animal needs only to be submerged
at every spring tide, or every 31 days (Carson 1955). Possibly, this
periwinkle was able to live and feed in the high splash zone or tidal
pools during the initial period of heavy oiling, thus escaping the oil.
Another advantage of 1L. saxatilis is its reproductive habits. Eggs and
18
-------
young are held within the female while they develop. L_. obtusata,
on the other hand, lays its eggs on the seaweed fronds, where the young
stages are more exposed to any alterations in the environment. During
low tide, adults of this animal seek protection from dessication in
the moist seaweed fronds (Zottoli 1973). This niche requirement then
would make L_. obtusata vulnerable to contact with the oil. The
increased numbers of JL. saxatilis at Cow Island may mean that
competition for this hardier periwinkle has been reduced with fewer
numbers of L_. obtusata. Thus, L_. saxatilis has been able to invade
those zones normally dominated by L_. obtusata.
Vertical Rock Stations - General Observations
For the most part, the vertical rock stations at Long Island
(oiled) and Bailey Island (control) are similar in their species
composition (see Table 1) and total abundance of organisms (see Table 4)
Bailey Island has a slightly greater diversity and abundance than Long
Island. At both stations; barnacles, periwinkles, blue mussels, rock-
weed and knotted wrack are dominant. However, two species which are
quite abundant at the control station amphipods and hydroids are
absent at the oiled station. Mites and colonial tunicates, two less
common species found at the control station are also absent from the
oiled station.
Following the trend of the sloping rock stations, the distribution
of Littorina is substantially different at the control and oiled sheer
rock stations. Numbers of L_. obtusata are much reduced at Long Island
in comparison to Bailey Island, whereas L_. saxatilis is abundant at
Long Island and absent from Bailey Island.
Fucus recolonization is occurring only sparsely in the most
heavily oiled zone. Although Table 3 shows wet weights of macroalgae
to be sparse but comparable in the upper tidal zones of both stations,
in reality Fucus is somewhat more abundant at the control than at the
oiled station. On the lower rocks, Ascophyllum is more abundant at
the control than at the oiled station; therefore, wet weights shown
in Table 3 for this zone are representative of the stations.
At Long Island, recolonization of barnacles has been good on the
lower rocks. Littorina littorea which was missing after Survey II
(VAST/TRC, 1973) is back in plentiful numbers. Amphipods, absent at
Long Island during all surveys, are still missing from this station.
However, In contrast to previous surveys, Hyale prevostii is present
at the control station.
19
-------
TABLE 4
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS PER .01 M
to
O
Species
ANNELIDA
Polychaeta, mutilated
ARTHROPODA
Anphipod Type B
(Hyale ptevostii)
Anurida maritime
Balanus balanoldes
Halacaridae - red
Isopoda Type A
CHORDATA
Tunicate - colonial
COELEHTERATA
Hydroid - Branched
colonies
MOLLOSCA
Littorina littorea
Littorlna obtusata
Littorina saxatilis
Mytilus edulie
Mvtllus spat
Skenea planorbia
UEMATODA
Vertical Rock Stations
Bailey Island
(Control)
Lower Rock
12
4
52
2
5
4
abundant
1
69
82
abundant
13
TOTAL 244
Upper Rock
1
694
24
232
41
2
994
Long Island
(Oiled)
Lower Rock
1
209
2
1
18
32
82
no derate
4
350
Upper Rock
502
88
2
34
50
parse
5
681
-------
FIGURE 7;
Long Island - Upper Rocks Adjacent to Sampling Station
21
-------
FIGURE 8:
Long Island - Cleared Strip (Center) Showing
This Year's Barnacle Set
22
-------
FIGURE 9;
Bailey Island Vertical Rock - Mid and Lower Tidal Zones
23
-------
.
L24ป#:,v Sซ?7
FIGURE 10;
Long Island Cleared Strip, Right Side
Uncleared Strip, Left Side
24
-------
Vertical Rock Stations - Discussion of Results
Recovery of the intertidal community at Long Island has been good,
except in the most heavily oiled zone. As at Cow Island (see Figure 2),
some areas of upper rock at Long Island adjacent to the sampling station
are fairly bare (see Figure 7). Where this year's set of Balanus has
settled on oil, the animals have died. A comparison of the oiled to
the control stations may be seen in the top left portion of Figure 8 and
Figure 9, respectively. Field observations, as well as quantitative
counts, show that the control station supports a denser barnacle
population than the oiled station. Fucus and Ascophyllum, although
present at both stations, are more abundant at; the control station.
The recovery of both these species in the high zone at Long Island is
shown in Figure 10.
At the oiled station, a relatively low density of Aacophyllum is
correlated with high Balanus density, whereas at the control station
the converse is true. Rocks in the lower zone where Ascophyllum had
died have been recolonized by Balanus. Since recolonization of macro-
algae takes longer than barnacle resettlement, it will take more than
a year's time to see if Fucus and Ascophyllum regain their normal
abundance in the areas contaminated with oil.
A definite change in species distribution is found in the
populations of Littorina at Long Island. The rank order of the four
dominant species: Balanus balanoides. Littorina obtusata, Mytilus edulis,
and Littorina saxatilis. which remained the same over three surveys, has
changed at the oiled station by Survey IV (see Table 5). L. saxatilis
rises from fourth to third in rank, while L_. obtusata. which had been
second in rank falls to fourth place. In actuality, L_. littorea
becomes fourth in rank, since it is more abundant than L_. obtusata. At
the control station, the rank order remains constant over all four
surveys. This change in Littorina distribution is even more pronounced
at Long Island than at Cow Island, but this trend is the same at both.
L_. saxatilis has become the exploiter organism in an environment where
the oil has stressed L_. obtusata, a less tolerant species, which
occupies a similar niche.
The absence of amphipods at Long Island supports the argument
discussed above that these organisms are sensitive to bii*. In addition
a decline in the diversity of these organisms at Bailey ..Island (control)
from four species to one species is further evidence that the control
stations became contaminated with oil (VAST/TRC, 1973). The absence of
hydroids at both Long Island and Cow Island may indicate that these
organisms are also sensitive to oil.
25
-------
II Recolonization Studies
Part of the initial Casco Bay study (VAST/TRC, 1973) looked at the
recolonization of organisms in control and oiled rock stations. There
were two rock types: sloping (Cow Island) and vertical (Long Island).
Controls for each of these areas were on Bailey Island. During Survey I
(July 1972), strips (1.5 ft wide running from high to low tide levels)
in each of the test areas, oiled and control, were scraped clean of
organisms. Recolonization of these areas was checked during this and
the two previous surveys (II and III). As in the previous surveys,
recruitment and population ratios were again used. These ratios are
a method used to establish the degree of recolonization and they are
based on the following assumptions:
0 The control stations have remained oil-free.
0 The pool of organisms available for recolo-
nization came from areas adjacent to the
cleared strips.
0 Recolonization of the control areas reflects
the natural processes.
The recruitment ratio was formed by comparing the number of animals,
regardless of species, on bared areas at the control stations to the
number on the bared areas at the oiled stations (see Table 6). For
example, during this survey there were 373 animals at the control areas
(Bailey Island) and 480 animals on the oiled area (Cow Island). The
recruitment ratio, R, is thus expressed by:
R = 373/480 = 0.8.
The population ratio is based on species common to the control and
oiled areas. It is formed by comparing the number of animals in the
area adjacent to the control clear strip to the numbers adjacent to the
oiled cleared strip. Data for this ratio comes from Tables 2 and 4.
For example, in August 1973 at sloping rock, there were 1394 animals/
0.01 m^ available for recolonization at the control station (Bailey
Island) and 623 animals/0.01 m2 available at the oiled station (Cow
Island). The population ratio is:
26
-------
1394/623 = 2.2.
The population ratio is a "weighting factor" to account for differences
in abundance between the two areas. Whenever the recruitment ratio
exceeds the population ratio, more animals than would be expected by
sheer differences in population sizes were moving onto the bared areas
at the control station than onto a similar area at the oiled locations.
Vertical Rock Stations
Table 6 shows that the population ratio exceeds its recruitment
ratio at the vertical rock stations. This means that the recruitment
ratio on the bared areas at the control stations has decreased since
Survey III. (This may be due to oil spreading into the control regions.)
It also suggests that recruitment at the Long Island oiled stations has
increased during this time. By Survey IV, however, the barnacles,
Balanus, Mytilus, and Fucus those organisms spending early life in
the plankton had settled on the vertical rock. The comparison of
recruitment and population ratios shows that rock scraping does improve
the substrate for sessile organisms. This is supported by field
observations: cleared areas of rock at Long Island appear to be
improved over uncleared areas (see Figure 11). The apparent inhibition
of barnacle settlement in the lower tidal area is consistent with the
usual tendency of these animals to inhabit specific zones. Barnacles
do not normally dominate in the brown algae zone since they are not
best adapted to this niche. The question therefore arises as to why
barnacle settlement occurs at all levels of the cleared strip at Long
Island (the oiled) but not at the lower zone at the control area. On
the oiled stations, the abundance of individuals is about the same at
both cleared and uncleared areas. In oiled stations, the total
abundance is equivalent to that found on the uncleared areas of the
control station (Tables 4 and 7).
It is important to realize that scraping the rocks introduces a
stress to the rock communities. This stress is reflected in the fact
that there were fewer species and individuals of this one-year community
on the cleared strips at the control stations than on the uncleared
stations (Tables 1, 4, and 7). This implies that these communities on
the cleared strips have not yet reached natural equilibrium. At the
oiled stations, although total numbers of individuals on the cleared
strips are comparable to the totals on uncleared strips, the lower
diversity of species of the cleared strip as compared to the uncleared
strip indicates that here, too, natural equilibrium of the cleared
strip community has not been reached.
27'
-------
TABLE 5
TOTAL NUMBERS AND RANK ORDER OF DOMINANT SPECIES
Species
Balanus balanoides
Mytilus edulis
Littorina obtusata
Llttorina saxatilis
Station
Long Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Long Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Long Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Long Island
(Oiled)
Bailey Island
(Control)
Survey
I
July
1972
1036
1730
.58
678
210
1059
28
35
II
September
1972
per .01 m
1425
1631
25
498
137
418
7
5
III
November
1972
1014
1400
140
563
215
564
44
13
IV
August
1973 2
per .01 m
717
746
132
123
20
301
66
0
Rank Order
I
1
1
3
3
2
2
4
4
II
1
1
3
2
2
3
4
4
III
1
1
3
3
2
2
4
4
IV
1
1
2
3
4*
2
3
4
N>
00
Littorina littorea.
-------
TABLE 6
RECOLONIZATION OF CLEARED STRIPS OF INTERTIDAL ROCK STATIONS
ro
vo
Survey
II
September 1972
Total Number
Of
Individuals
Oiled
High Zone
Low Zone
Total
Recruitment
Ratio
Population
Ratio
41
156
197
Control
III
November 1972
Total Number
Of
Individuals
Oiled
Control
IV
August 1973
Number Of
Individuals
Per .01 fc2
Oiled
Control
Sloping Rock
396
805
1201
6.1
2.2
286
572
858
367
946
1313
1.5
1.1
208
680
888
392
324
716
0.8
2.2
Vertical Rock
High Zone
Low Zone
Total
Recruitment
Ratio
Population
Ratio
10
188
Id8
215
148
363
1.8
1.6
113
51
164
484
91
575
3.5
1.8
513
337
850
553
7
560
0.7
1.3
-------
FIGURE 11:
Bailey Island Cleared Strip,
Right Third of Picture
30
-------
Sloping Rock Stations
The results of quantitative sampling indicate that the cleared
strip at Cow Island has a greater species diversity than the uncleared
adjacent areas (see Tables 1, 2, and 8). At Bailey Island, the cleared
strip supports a lower abundance of animals than the cleared strip at
Cow Island. The population ratio (see Table 6) is two and one-half
times greater than the recruitment ratio. Recruitment on Bailey Island
(control) has markedly decreased and this may be due to encroaching oil
into the control areas. The greater recruitment at Cow Island is due
primarily to large numbers of barnacles, periwinkles, mussels, and
algae. In addition, a significant finding is the presence of two
species of amphipods.
One factor that would contribute to the abundance of barnacles at
the cleared strip on Cow Island is the absence of its major predator,
the dog whelk. The greater numbers of the periwinkle Littorina
saxatilis may be attributed to the fact that this animal is invading
the niche normally occupied by L_. obtusata; a pattern similar to the
adjacent uncleared areas of Cow Island. These shifts in populations
would indicate that as at the vertical rock stations, the communities
on the cleared strips have not yet reached a state of equilibrium.
For instance, at each station re-establishment of macroalgae takes more
than a year. Barnacles have recolonized cleared strips in what is
obviously the brown algae zone (see Figure 12). Field observations
ascertained that populations of algae and marine organisms in tidal pools
in the clean rock areas are much more diverse than those in tide pools
in adjacent areas that had not been cleaned.
EFFECTIVENESS OF CLEAN-UP PROCEDURES
Following the TAMANO oil spill, three separate procedures were
employed to clean-up 'the oil. These were:
0 Cleaning rocks with pressurized hot water,
0 Cropping seaweed, and
Removal of oiled beach sand.
31
-------
TABLE 7
U)
CLEARED STRIPS AT INTERTIDAL ROCK STATIONS
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS PER .01 M2
Species
ALGAE
Fucus Holdfasts
' ANNELIDA
Polychaeea comnensal
with Balanus
ARTHROPODA
Amphipod Type A
Hyale prevostll Type B
Amphipod unknown
Anurida maritima
Balanus balanoides
Crustacean larva
Balacarldae - black
Halacarldae - Red
MOLLUSCA
Littorlna Llttorea
Littarlna ebtusata
Littorlna saxatilis
Hytllus edulis
Mytllua spat
Skenea planorbia
Telllna agilis
Thais laplllus
NEMATODA
NEMERTEA
TOTAL FAUNAL NUMBERS
Vertical Rock Stations
Bailey Island
(Control)
Lower Rock
2
5
pars*
7
Upper Rock
388
2
152
8
3
parse
553
Long Island
(Oiled)
Lower Rock
3
273
5
18
29
8
parse
1
337
Upper Rock
418
86
1
8
sparse
513
Mot included in total fauna! nusbers.
-------
NUMBER OF ORGANISMS PER
.01 M2
CJ
OJ
Species
ALGAE
Pucue Holdfasts
ANHELIEA
Polychaeta commensal
with Balaam
ARTHROPOD*
Aophipod Type A
Hyale prevostli Type B
Aophipod unknown
Anurlda narltlna
Balanus balsnoides
Crustacean larva
Halacarldae - black
Balacaridae - red
MOLLUSCA
Littorlna llttorea
Littorlna obtusata
Littering gaxatllis
Hytilua edulis
Mytilua spat
Skenea olanorbla
Tellina agllta
Thaia .laplllua
MEMATODA
NEHERTEA
TOTAL 7AUMAL NUMBERS
Sloping Rock Stations
Bailey Island
(Control)
Loner Rock
1
3
140
6
89
16
68
abundant
1
324
Upper Rock
38
1
18
274
58
3
parป,>
392
Cow Island
(Oiled)
Lower Rock
14
499
2
5
20
53
82
abundant
1
4
680
Opper Rock
56
176
-^ป
2
S
7
41
aparae
1
288
let Included la total fauoal
-------
FIGURE 12:
Cow Island Cleared Strip-
Lower Mid Zone
34
-------
FIGURE 13:
Long Island - Pressurized. Hot Water Cleaned Rocks in
Lower Tidal-Zone
35
-------
FIGURE 14;
Long Island - Pressurized Hot Water Cleaned Rocks in
Upper Tidal Zone
36
-------
TABLE 9
u>
LONG ISLAND ROCKS - CLEANED BY HOT WATER
NUMBERS OF ORGANISMS PER 0.01 M2
Species
ARTHROPODA
Balanus balanoides
Crustacean larva
MOLLUSCA
Littorina littorea
Littorina obtusata
Littorina saxatills
Mytilus edulis
TOTAL FAUNAL NUMBERS
MACROALGAE
Fucus Holdfasts
Total
Lower Rock
307
1
62-
1
56
64
496
1
a
Upper Rock
26
26
-------
I Rock Cleaning With Pressurized Hot Water
Oil had coated the intertidal rocks near the ferry dock on Long
Island, a public access area. The oil was removed by washing the rocks
with pressurized hot water (800 - 1100 psi, 150 - 170ฐF). We were able
to estimate the biological impact of the method by comparing the
intertidal populations in the washed areas to those in the unwashed
oiled locations.
The barnacles (Balanus balanoides) and the molluscs best show the
effects of washing. The upper rock zone near the dock appear to be
devoid of all animals (see Figure 13). This is supported by data in
Table 9. Similar rock zones in unwashed oiled areas on Long Island
show a much greater abundance of animals (Table 4). Washing appears
to retard recovery on the rocks. However, there are other factors,
such as public traffic and the effects of washing pressures and
temperatures. Determination of the effects of these factors is beyond
the scope of this report.
In the lower rock zone, rock washing appears to have a beneficial
effect (Figure 14). The barnacle and mollusc populations are much
more abundant in the washed area than in the unwashed locations
(Tables 4 and 9). Field observations ascertained that populations of
algae and marine organisms in tidal pools in the washed rock areas
are much more diverse than those in the tidal pools in adjacent areas
that had not been cleaned.
II Effects of Seaweed Cropping on Cow Island
Following the TAMANO spill, oil-soaked macroalgae on the northwest
point of Cow Island and other areas were cut and removed as a clean-up
measure in order to decrease the amount of oil leaching back into the
environment. Field observations of that area one year later indicate
that cropping the algae has markedly reduced its re-population of the
area. Comparison of this point (Figure 15) with the uncropped oiled
sampling station at Cow Island (Figure 12) shows that the macroalgae
which is left uncropped is rid of the oil and growing luxuriantly,
whereas it is patchy and stunted in the cropped area (Figure 16). The
sampling data indicated that the animal populations of the cropped
area, although much less abundant, include nearly the same diversity
of species as the cleared areas on Cow Island (Tables 8 and 10). An
exception to this similarity with the uncropped station is the presence
of abundant numbers of a sabellid polychaete. This tubiculous worm
may be an indicator species which has invaded the rocks due to the
presence of oil and the unstable condition of the Intertidal environ-
38
-------
ment. It would, therefore, seem that while cropping the algae does
indeed help rid the area of oil, as reflected in the diversity of
species recolonizing, cropping greatly reduces algal cover of the
area. In each case, including the stations on Cow Island and Long
Island, the algae seems to be the late successional species or the
slowest to recoIonize. S^.^^ its cover forms an important niche for
intertidal organisms, it would be advisable in future clean-up
operations to continue to crop only limited areas which are most
heavily saturated with oil or don't crop at all.
Ill Effectiveness of Beach Sand Removal
West Beach on Long Island appears clean to the eye one year
following the oil spill (see Figure 17). Based on visual observations,
it seems to have recovered to its normal slope, bearing strength and
grain size. Closer examination of the sand revealed some oil to be
present, especially in the top layer of coarser stones. This is
verified by quantitative IR analysis of samples taken from three areas
along the beach (listed below). The samples (A, B) were taken from
the section of beach from which oily sand had been removed in clean-up
operations. A third sample (C) was taken from an area of the same
beach that was not obviously contaminated by oil.
The analytical results for field extraction of beach sediments
were:
Sample Identification Mg Oil/100 Grams of Sample
Station A, surface to 10 cm depth 6.8
Station A, 20 to 30 cm depth 4.7
Station B, surface to 10 cm depth 4.4
Station C, surface to 10 cm depth 3.2
Station C, 20 to 30 cm depth 0.11
Station C, 30 to 40 cm depth 0.08
To measure the effectiveness of extraction by carbon tetrachloride,
an additional test was performed. The aim of this test was to determine
if all the oil contamination could be removed from sediments by the
recommended carbon tetrachloride procedure. Several samples of sediment
were analyzed from West Beach, Long Island, Casco Bay.
39
-------
FIGURE 15;
Cow Island - Point Where Seaweed Was Cropped
40
-------
FIGURE 16;
Cow Island - Cropped Ascophyllum
41
-------
TABLE 10
AREAS OF CROPPED ALGAE - COW ISLAND
TOTAL NUMBERS OF ORGANISMS PER 0.01 M
ro
Species
ANNELIDA
Polychaeta commensal
with Balanus
Polychaeta - tubiculous
ARTHROPODA
Balanus balanoides
Isopoda Type A
MOLLUSCA
Littorina littorea
Littorina saxatilis
Mytilus edulis
Skenea planorbis
Thais lapillus
MACROALGAE
Aaeophyllum nodosum
Fucus sp.
Totals
2
18
228
1
1
8
MODERATE
4
1
72 grams
> 4 grams
TOTAL NUMBER ORGANISMS 311
-------
A 100 gram sample of each sediment material was treated with
individual portions of carbon tetrachloride of spectrograde quality.
Eight to ten such treatments were required before infrared spectroscopic
analysis indicated an absence of oil in the last 25 ml extract. To
ensure a complete removal of all oil contamination, the sediments were
treated again with carbon tetrachloride in an eight-hour Soxhlet
operation. The treated samples of sediment were then regarded as oil-
free.
A stock solution of oil in carbon tetrachloride of known concen-
tration was prepared with No. 6 oil taken from inboard the TAMANO.
Measured amounts of this stock solution were added to each of the
treated sediments. The amounts of oil added to these sediment samples
were varied within a range of 0.4 - 14.6 mg of oil per 100 grams of
sediment. This is the range of concentration found for the three
sediment samples from the Casco Bay Survey reported above.
Each oil-spiked sediment sample was treated with four successive
25 ml portions of carbon tetrachloride. Approximately eight additional
25 ml aliquots of carbon tetrachloride were needed before infrared
spectroscopic measurements failed to detect any No. 6 oil in the last
carbon tetrachloride extract. Only 50% ฑ 10 of the oil contamination
was removed to this point. The remaining oil required a Soxhlet
extraction with carbon tetrachloride. The total amount of oil
recovered was approximately 100% of the amount added to the sediment
sample.
The small number of samples available for this test do not permit
a statistical evaluation. However, the test data demonstrates the
inadequacy of a carbon tetrachloride extraction for No. 6 oil from
sediment at room temperature. Despite the numerous extractions with
carbon tetrachloride, approximately one-half of the oil could not be
removed from the sediments. When a Soxhlet treatment was employed, a
complete recovery for the known amount of oil was obtained.
Consequently, for the extracts prepared in the field of samples
of sediment materials from the Casco Bay survey area, the analytical
results (reported above) appear to represent only approximately 50% of
the oil actually present. The more likely concentrations are:
Sample Identification Mg Oil/100 Grams of Sample
Station A, surface to 10 cm depth 12 - 14
Station A, 20 to 30 cm depth 9-10
Station B, surface to 10 cm depth 8-9
43
-------
Sample Identification Mg Oil/100 Grams of Sample
Station C, surface to 10 cm depth 6-7
Station C, 20 to 30 cm depth *V 1
Station C, 30 to 40 cm depth ^ 1
Two specific recommendations appear to be in order. First, it is
recommended that a more rigorous extraction method be incorporated into
the analytical procedure, when it is applied to sediment materials.
The Soxhlet extraction is apparently effective for a complete
separation of oil from such samples. Secondly, it is recommended that
the per cent recovery for oil be checked. This involves adding a given
amount of oil to the sediment materials taken from each specific survey
area. This second recommendation would establish the accuracy of the
analytical data derived from the particular sample materials for each
geographical area.
Results of the chemical analysis indicate that the clean-up
operations removed most of the oil-soaked sand by comparison with con-
centrations last year. However, oil is still present in the cleared
area of beach in greater concentrations than adjacent uncleared areas.
This may be a result of a combination of factors: untreated sections
of beach were less heavily contaminated initially, residual oil remained
in the cleared portion, and littoral transport of oiled sands from
other areas of the bay brought more oiled sediments onto the cleared
area of West Beach. Beach cleaning may nevertheless be considered a
valuable operation in that it prevents considerable amounts of oil
from leaching into the marine environment.
EFFECTS OF TAMANO SPILL ON SOFT SHELL CLAM POPULATIONS
Length/frequency histograms for populations of Mya arenaria at Cow
Island (oiled) and Beals Cove (control) are presented in Figure 21 for
November 1972 and in Figure 18 for August of 1973. In both surveys,
Mya are far more abundant at the control station (Beals Cove) than at
the oiled station (Cow Island). The trimodal distribution at the
control station probably represents a three-year population. Last
year's set (1972) of 2 - 4 mm length young Mya (Figure 18) is probably
the 10 - 28 mm length group this year (Figure 19). Equivalently, the
2 to 6 mm group that settled at Cow Island last year grew to 10 - 14 mm
length this year. It is suggested, therefore, that a soft shell clam
population can survive an oil impact such as occurred at Cow Island for
at least a year and perhaps longer, as evidenced by the one large clam
that survived to a 66 mm length. For some reason, the 35 - 56 mm
44
-------
FIGURE 17:
Long Island - Cleaned Beach
45
-------
ON
p
ft
E
Q
V
I
H
C
T
0
r
o
i
c
A
II
I
S
M
S
30
as
26 _
24 _
22
20 _
18 I
16
14 .
12 _
10 _
M> co o
-------
F 0
R R "I
E G
Q 0 A ป
Uira XT .
w
E I
N S a
CM -v
Y S
^^ ^
^ x^^^
^ ^^^
x^ ^^^
F 0 .
10 _
R R
E G 8 .
Q OF A
U N * -
E i 4 :
N S
Cvr 2
M
Y S
^
5^
"^ ^
*S* S'' s'' ' *^"^
X^ XX^ X^' x^ *^x ^^'
-------
population present at Beals Cove this year is absent at Cow Island
(Figure 18). This population was absent last year as well. Nor is
there any indication of a new set this year at Cow Island that would
correspond to the small 2 mm length clams present at Beals Cove. When
contaminated by an oil spill,'bivalves are known to retain the more
toxic fractions of fuel oil (Blumer and Sass, 1972). It appears that
the Tamano spill killed the year-old set at Cow Island last year,
which resulted in little, if any, successful spawning and settlement
this year. The small numbers of young present this year at Beals Cove
may be a result of the accumulation of oil from more-or-less chronic
releases into Casco Bay.
Since some young soft shell clams survived the initial impact, it
appears that the clam population may be able to gradually re-establish
itself.
48
-------
REFERENCES CITED
Baker, J. M. Growth Stimulation Following Oil Pollution in The
Ecological Effects of Oil Pollution on Littoral Communities.
E. B. Cowdl, Ed. Applied Science Publishers, Ltd. Barking,
Essex, 1971. pp. 72 - 77.
Blumer, M. et. al. A Small Oil Spill. Environment, 13; 2-12,
1971.
Blumer, M. and J. Sass, 1972: The West Falmouth Oil Spill, W.H.O.I.
Technical Report 72-19.
Carson, R. The Edge of the Sea. The New American Library, New York,
1955.
Kunkel, B. W. The Arthrustraca of Connecticut. Connecticut State
Geological and Natural History Survey, Bulletin No. 26. Hartford,
1918.
Sanders, H. L. et. al. The West Falmouth Oil Spill (I). Biology.
W.H.O.I. Technical Report 72-20, 1972.
VAST, Inc./TRC, 1973: Oil Spill, Casco Bay, Maine (I). July 22, 1972.
Environmental Effects. Final Report for the Office of Water
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency. October, 1973.
Zottoli, R., 1973: Introduction to Marine Environments. St. Louis,
C. V. Mbsby Company.
49
it U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1975 210-310'S 2
-------