296
carbonate isotope signature (Fig. 17.4) which is in agreement with the depletion of
pre-DWH versus post-DWH sedimentary organic carbon δ
13
C, documented by
Rosenheim et al. (2016) and similar observations made on benthic foraminifera collected at other sites in the NGoM (Schwing et al. 2018).
17.3 Summary
Environmental studies are in need of rapid, high-throughput analytical methods,
capable of multi-species screening, which would enable multiproxy approaches to
defining ecological systems and health. In this respect, novel analytical strategies
which use high-resolution mass spectrometry showed high promise to resolve a
complex inventory of chemical species, over a broad mass range. Simplified sample
preparation significantly reduces the time for sample preprocessing and preserves
the complexity of the sediment extract. A multiproxy biogeochemical approach provides more robust stratigraphic (paleo)environmental reconstructions and can also
be successfully applied for the studies of anthropogenic perturbations of the natural
environment, such as major oil spills. The response to the DWH blowout disaster
also saw development and application of new techniques which can be added to the
cadre of rapid-response tools oceanographers and geochemists can apply to future
events.
Funding Information This research was made possible by grants from The Gulf of Mexico
Research Initiative through its consortia: The Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of
the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE), Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG),
and Deep Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico (Deep-C).
References
Adhikari PL, Maiti K, Overton EB, Rosenheim BE, Marx BD (2016) Distributions and accumulation rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the northern Gulf of Mexico sediments.
Environ Pollut 212:413–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.01.064
Aeppli C, Carmichael CA, Nelson RK, Lemkau KL, Graham WM, Redmond MC, Valentine
DL, Reddy CM, Graham M, Redmond MC, Valentine DL, Reddy CM (2012) Oil weathering
after the Deepwater Horizon disaster led to the formation of oxygenated residues. Environ Sci
Technol 46:8799–8807. https://doi.org/10.1021/es3015138
Aeppli C, Nelson RK, Radović JR, Carmichael CA, Valentine DL, Reddy CM (2014) Recalcitrance
and degradation of petroleum biomarkers upon abiotic and biotic natural weathering of
Deepwater Horizon oil. Environ Sci Technol 48:6726–6734. https://doi.org/10.1021/es500825q
Aeppli C, Swarthout RF, O’Neil GW, Katz SD, Nabi D, Ward CP, Nelson RK, Sharpless CM,
Reddy CM (2018) How persistent and bioavailable are oxygenated Deepwater Horizon oil
transformation products? Environ Sci Technol 52:7250–7258. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.
est.8b01001
Bagby SC, Reddy CM, Aeppli C, Fisher GB, Valentine DL (2016) Persistence and biodegradation
of oil at the ocean floor following Deepwater Horizon. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 201610110. https://
doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1610110114
I. C. Romero et al.
carbonate isotope signature (Fig. 17.4) which is in agreement with the depletion of
pre-DWH versus post-DWH sedimentary organic carbon δ
13
C, documented by
Rosenheim et al. (2016) and similar observations made on benthic foraminifera collected at other sites in the NGoM (Schwing et al. 2018).
17.3 Summary
Environmental studies are in need of rapid, high-throughput analytical methods,
capable of multi-species screening, which would enable multiproxy approaches to
defining ecological systems and health. In this respect, novel analytical strategies
which use high-resolution mass spectrometry showed high promise to resolve a
complex inventory of chemical species, over a broad mass range. Simplified sample
preparation significantly reduces the time for sample preprocessing and preserves
the complexity of the sediment extract. A multiproxy biogeochemical approach provides more robust stratigraphic (paleo)environmental reconstructions and can also
be successfully applied for the studies of anthropogenic perturbations of the natural
environment, such as major oil spills. The response to the DWH blowout disaster
also saw development and application of new techniques which can be added to the
cadre of rapid-response tools oceanographers and geochemists can apply to future
events.
Funding Information This research was made possible by grants from The Gulf of Mexico
Research Initiative through its consortia: The Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of
the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE), Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG),
and Deep Sea to Coast Connectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico (Deep-C).
References
Adhikari PL, Maiti K, Overton EB, Rosenheim BE, Marx BD (2016) Distributions and accumulation rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the northern Gulf of Mexico sediments.
Environ Pollut 212:413–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.01.064
Aeppli C, Carmichael CA, Nelson RK, Lemkau KL, Graham WM, Redmond MC, Valentine
DL, Reddy CM, Graham M, Redmond MC, Valentine DL, Reddy CM (2012) Oil weathering
after the Deepwater Horizon disaster led to the formation of oxygenated residues. Environ Sci
Technol 46:8799–8807. https://doi.org/10.1021/es3015138
Aeppli C, Nelson RK, Radović JR, Carmichael CA, Valentine DL, Reddy CM (2014) Recalcitrance
and degradation of petroleum biomarkers upon abiotic and biotic natural weathering of
Deepwater Horizon oil. Environ Sci Technol 48:6726–6734. https://doi.org/10.1021/es500825q
Aeppli C, Swarthout RF, O’Neil GW, Katz SD, Nabi D, Ward CP, Nelson RK, Sharpless CM,
Reddy CM (2018) How persistent and bioavailable are oxygenated Deepwater Horizon oil
transformation products? Environ Sci Technol 52:7250–7258. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.
est.8b01001
Bagby SC, Reddy CM, Aeppli C, Fisher GB, Valentine DL (2016) Persistence and biodegradation
of oil at the ocean floor following Deepwater Horizon. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 201610110. https://
doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1610110114
I. C. Romero et al.