Estimating incident ultraviolet radiation exposure in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
| Autor: | Kristin N. Bridges, Constance L. Travers, Michel L. Gielazyn, Jeffrey M. Morris, Claire Lay, James T. Oris, Ryan Takeshita, Heather P. Forth, Matthew M. Alloy, Aaron P. Roberts |
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| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Ultraviolet Rays Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Petroleum Pollution chemistry.chemical_compound Water column Components of crude oil Environmental monitoring Environmental Chemistry Seawater Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 0105 earth and related environmental sciences chemistry.chemical_classification Gulf of Mexico Biota Oceanography Petroleum chemistry Environmental science Submarine pipeline Water Pollutants Chemical Environmental Monitoring |
| Zdroj: | Environmental toxicology and chemistry. 37(6) |
| ISSN: | 1552-8618 |
| Popis: | Millions of barrels of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic components of crude oil, which may become more toxic in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a phenomenon known as photo-induced toxicity. The Deepwater Horizon spill impacted offshore and estuarine sites, where biota may be co-exposed to UV and PAHs. Penetration of UV into the water column is affected by site-specific factors. Therefore, measurements and/or estimations of UV are necessary when one is assessing the risk to biota posed by photo-induced toxicity. We describe how estimates of incident UV were determined for the area impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, using monitoring data from radiometers near the spill, in conjunction with reference spectra characterizing the composition of solar radiation. Furthermore, we provide UV attenuation coefficients for both near- and offshore sites in the Gulf of Mexico. These estimates are specific to the time and location of the spill, and fall within the range of intensities utilized during photo-induced toxicity tests performed in support of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). These data further validate the methodologies and findings of phototoxicity tests included in the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, while underscoring the importance of considering UV exposure when assessing possible risks following oil spills. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1679-1687. © 2018 SETAC. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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