Fate of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Beach Sand.
Abstract
The fate of the petroleum hydrocarbons from Chevron bunker fuel has been studied in natural beaches, sand-containing lysimeters, and laboratory experiments. The importance of various physical, chemical and biological processes for the dispersal and degradation of spilled bunker fuel has been evaluated. Studies at four sampling locations on three beaches in the San Francisco area affected by oil from an 840,000 gal spill of Chevron bunker fuel have shown that the size of the bacterial population and distribution of bacterial genera within the beach was unaffected by the petroleum hydrocarbons remaining in the beach sand after completion of the cleanup operation. A correlation between the background oil concentration and the bacterial population is suggested. The importance of bacterial degradation of the oil entrained within a beach has been studied using lysimeters implanted in a beach to control erosion. (Author Modified Abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0758740
Entities
Organizations
- University of California