Temporal chemical composition changes in water below a crude oil slick irradiated with natural sunlight

Photooxidation can alter the environmental fate and effects of spilled oil. To better understand this process, oil slicks were generated on seawater mesocosms and exposed to sunlight for 8 days. The molecular composition of seawater under irradiated and non-irradiated oil slicks was characterized using ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry and polyaromatic hydrocarbons analyses. Biomimetic extraction was performed to quantify neutral and ionized constituents. Results show that seawater underneath irradiated oil showed significantly higher amounts of hydrocarbons with oxygen-and sulfur-containing by-products peaking by day 4-6; however, con-centrations of dissolved organic carbon were similar. Biomimetic extraction indicated toxic units in irradiated mesocosms increased, mainly due to ionized components, but remained <1, suggesting limited potential for ecotoxicity. Because the experimental design mimicked important aspects of natural conditions (freshly collected seawater, natural sunlight, and relevant oil thickness and concentrations), this study improves our understanding of the effects of photooxidation during a marine oil spill.

Automated summary

This study investigates the impact of photooxidation on the environmental fate and effects of spilled oil. Through a simulated experiment, involving the generation of oil slicks and exposure to sunlight for 8 days, the researchers characterized the molecular composition of seawater underneath irradiated and non-irradiated oil slicks. The results show that photooxidation leads to the production of hydrocarbons with oxygen-and sulfur-containing by-products, but the overall ecotoxicity potential remains limited.