Fate of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Bleach 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. Laboratory experiments indicated that the lower molecular weight components of bunker fuel dispersed in a beach will be removed by evaporation, dissolution and biodegration acting in concert. The importance of bacterial degradation of the oil entrained within a beach was studied using lysimeters implanted in a beach to control erosion. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0786582
Entities
People
- Andre Cobet
- Harold E. Guard
Organizations
- University of California