Constitution and Surface Chemical Properties of Sea Slicks. Part 1 - Bay of Panama

Abstract

Samples of surface water were collected from both slick and nonslick areas of the Bay of Panama by the screen method developed at NRL. Analysis in dicated that both slick and non-slick covered surface waters contain a similar mixture of sur face-active chemicals. Extracted substances were identified as fatty acids, lipids, and nonpolar hydrocarbons, with some chemical unsaturation showing in the hydrocarbon portion of the organic molecules. The isolated material forms compressi ble, liquid-expanded films on water which appear to contain quantities of nonpolar material. Sur facosities of the films were low, indcative of appreciable amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and esters. Gas chromatographic studies showed that each sample contained a complex mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids containing from 8 to 20 carbon atoms. An average of approx imately 16 carbon atoms per molecule was found.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 23, 1963
Accession Number
AD0409486

Entities

People

  • C. O. Timmons
  • N. L. Jarvis
  • R. E. Kagarise
  • W. D. Garrett

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkanes
  • Aquatic Organisms
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Fatty Acids
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Monomolecular Films
  • Oleic Acid
  • Organic Materials
  • Spectra
  • Stearic Acid

Readers

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Marine Ecotoxicology
  • Organic Chemistry