Impact of Photooxidation and Biodegradation on the Fate of Oil Spilled During the Deepwater Horizon Incident: Advanced Stages of Weathering

While the biogeochernical forces influencing the weathering of spilled oil have been investigated for decades, the environmental fate and effects of "oxyhydrocarbons" in sand patties deposited on beaches are not well-known. We collected sand patties deposited in the swash zone on Gulf of Mexico beaches following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. When sand patties were exposed to simulated sunlight, a larger concentration of dissolved organic carbon was leached into seawater than the corresponding dark controls. This result was consistent with the general ease of movement of seawater through the sand patties as shown with a (SO42-)-S-35 radiotracer. Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, as well as optical measurements revealed that the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from the sand patties under dark and irradiated conditions were substantially different, but neither had a significant inhibitory influence on the endogenous rate of aerobic or anaerobic microbial respiratory activity. Rather, the dissolved organic photooxidation products stimulated significantly More microbial O-2 consumption (113 +/- 4 mu M) than either the dark (78 +/- 2 mu M) controls or the endogenous (38 mu M 4) forms of DOM. The changes in the DOM quality and quantity were consistent with biodegradation as an explanation for the, differences. These results confirm that sand patties undergo, a gradual disscilution of DOM in both the dark and in the light, but,photo-oxidation accelerates the production of water-soluble polar organic compounds that are relatively more amenable to aerobic biodegradation. As such, these processes, represent previously unrecognized advanced weathering stages that are important in the ultimate transformation of spilled crude oil.