Marine Science Faculty Publications

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2019

Keywords

Benthic foraminifera, Marine sediments, Trace metal contamination, Natural seeps, Petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments, Oil industry contamination

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.06.006

Abstract

The Campeche Sound is the major offshore oil producing area in the Southern Gulf of Mexico (SGoM). To evaluate the impact of oil related activities in the ocean floor sediments, we analyzed the geochemical (major and trace element, organic carbon and hydrocarbon concentrations) and biological (benthic foraminifera) composition of 62 superficial sediment samples, from 13 to 1336 m water depth. Cluster and Factor analysis of all the variables indicate that their distribution patterns are mainly controlled by differences between the terrigenous and carbonate platforms in the SGoM. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages were abundant and diverse, and their distribution patterns are mainly determined by water depth and sedimentary environment. However, most of the abundant species are opportunistic and/or low-oxygen tolerant, and many of their tests show oil stains and infillings, characteristic of oil polluted locations, suggesting the environment has been modified by natural seepage or oil-related activities. To determine if these conditions are natural or anthropogenic in origin, pre - industrial settings should be studied. Organic carbon (Corg) content (0.6-2.9%) and total hydrocarbon concentrations (PAHs 1.0-29.5 μg kg

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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Marine Environmental Research, v. 149, p. 111-125

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