TY - JOUR
T1 - Super-complex mixtures of aliphatic- and aromatic acids may be common degradation products after marine oil spills
T2 - A lab-study of microbial oil degradation in a warm, pre-exposed marine environment
AU - Kristensen, Mette
AU - Johnsen, Anders R.
AU - Christensen, Jan H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/9/15
Y1 - 2021/9/15
N2 - When assessing oil spills in marine environments, focus has often been on describing degradation and removal of hydrocarbons. However, more and more attention is now given to the formation of mineral oil transformation products, and their potential toxicity and persistency in the environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the formation of dissolved acidic degradation products from crude oil in sea water from the Persian Gulf in a lab-experiment. A super-complex mixture of acidic degradation products was formed in the water phase and compound groups of aliphatic acids, monocyclic aromatic acids-, and polycyclic aromatic acids were identified. More specifically, alkylated PAHs were biodegraded to a high number of aromatic, carboxylic acids by hydroxylation of the alkyl side chains. These degradation products are more bioavailable than their parent compounds, and may therefore constitute a new group of contaminants that should be considered in oil spill assessments.
AB - When assessing oil spills in marine environments, focus has often been on describing degradation and removal of hydrocarbons. However, more and more attention is now given to the formation of mineral oil transformation products, and their potential toxicity and persistency in the environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the formation of dissolved acidic degradation products from crude oil in sea water from the Persian Gulf in a lab-experiment. A super-complex mixture of acidic degradation products was formed in the water phase and compound groups of aliphatic acids, monocyclic aromatic acids-, and polycyclic aromatic acids were identified. More specifically, alkylated PAHs were biodegraded to a high number of aromatic, carboxylic acids by hydroxylation of the alkyl side chains. These degradation products are more bioavailable than their parent compounds, and may therefore constitute a new group of contaminants that should be considered in oil spill assessments.
KW - Aromatic acids
KW - Crude oil
KW - GC×GC-HRMS
KW - Oil spill assessment
KW - Water-soluble degradation products
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105278438&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117264
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117264
M3 - Article
C2 - 33962305
AN - SCOPUS:85105278438
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 285
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 117264
ER -