Evaluating Changes in Fluorescence EEM and Size Spectra During the Degradation of Crude Oil and Dispersant in Seawater
Implementing Organization
University of Southern Mississippi
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$103,369
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)
Funding Program
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative GoMRI Grant Program
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Physical Aspects Research
Targeted Resources
Human and/or Institutional Capacity
Project Description
Crude oil could be dissolved, oxidized, evaporated, degraded (including microbial and photochemical degradation), and fractionated into hydrocarbon fractions in the marine environment, changing its original optical, chemical and isotopic signatures such as fluorescence excitation-emission characteristics and spectral slope as well as molecular size distribution. However, the quantitative changes in hydrocarbon speciation and thus the chemical and optical properties of seawater during the degradation of oil and dispersant are poorly understood, which makes interpretation of field data challenging.
Contact
Laodong Guo414-382-1742
guol@uwm.edu
Project Website
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