Photooxidation and biodegradation potential of a light crude oil in first-year sea ice

Disappearing sea ice in the Arctic region results in a pressing need to develop oil spill mitigation techniques suitable for ice-covered waters. The uncertainty around the nature of an oil spill in the Arctic arises from the icecovered waters and sub-zero temperatures, and how they may influence natural attenuation efficiency. The Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility was used to create a simulated Arctic marine setting. This paper focuses on the potential for biodegradation of the bulk crude oil content (encapsulated in the upper regions of the ice), to provide insight regarding the possible fate of crude oil in an Arctic marine setting. Cheaper and faster methods of chemical composition analysis were applied to the samples to assess for weathering and transformation effects. Results suggest that brine volume in ice may not be sufficient at low temperatures to encompass biodegradation and that seawater is more suitable for biodegradation.

Automated summary

The disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic region calls for urgent development of oil spill mitigation techniques suitable for ice-covered waters. The uncertainty surrounding oil spills in the Arctic is due to ice cover and sub-zero temperatures, which may affect natural attenuation efficiency. Research suggests that brine volume in ice at low temperatures may not be enough for biodegradation, whereas seawater is more suitable for this process.