SEDL / STP / STP659-EB / STP35720S

Chemical Analysis of Dispersed Oil in the Water Column

Brown, CW
Professor and research associates, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R. I.

Lynch, PF
Professor and research associates, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R. I.

Ahmadjian, M
Professor and research associates, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R. I.

Pages: 15    Published: Jan 1978

Download this paper for $25 PDF (192K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

Water and air samples collected from treated and untreated simulated oil spills have been analyzed for hydrocarbons. In test tanks, 6.2 m tall, the concentration of oil in the water just beneath the surface is initially 27 times greater when a dispersant is used. During a 3-day experiment, however, the amount of oil in the water column decreased significantly in both the treated and untreated cases. When a dispersant was used, the maximum concentration in the water column gradually moved toward the bottom of the tank. Results of laboratory, meso scale, and a real spill are compared.