Largest Oil Spill Research Articles

On the Possible Climatic Consequences of the Large Oil Spills in Oceans

In the North Atlantic and the Northern Ocean, from the second half of 2010 to 2014, satellite imagery data showed increased surface water temperatures (in the Icelandic Depression area in September–October 2010, it was 1.3 °C higher than in 2009). The peak of the annual sum of mean monthly ocean surface temperatures near the Icelandic Depression in 2010 (109.3 °C), as well as the negative values of the monthly averaged North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indices, estimated in the second half of 2010 and until March 2011, can be explained by the appearance of an additional film of oil origin on the water surface, formed after an oil spill accident at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Insufficient evaporative cooling of surface waters near the Icelandic Depression related to the formation of an additive film due to the influence of pollution of the North Sea by oil can explain the earlier peak in the annual sum of mean monthly ocean surface temperatures near the Icelandic Depression in 2003 (107.2 °C). Although global warming is usually ascribed to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, ocean surface water pollution could increase the heat content of the ocean and explain the steady temperature stratification and desalination of these waters due to the melting of Greenland’s glaciers. Thus, when analyzing the concept of global warming, it is necessary to take into account the aspects of pollution of the ocean surface waters to assess the changes in their capacity to accumulate solar radiation, as well as the changes in the heat content of the ocean mixing zone (~200 m).

Rapid analysis of spilled petroleum oils by direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry with hydrophobic paper sample collection

BackgroundOil spills are widespread and can cause devastating environmental consequences. Rapid oil identification is critical to find the origin of the spill, monitor the environment, and lead to informed mitigation measures. The current standard methods in oil spill identification are precise and reliable, but require extensive sample preparation, long instrument runs, and time-consuming data processing. Direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART-ToF MS) has been employed to screen for spilled petroleum oils, with results obtained in mere hours. The present study introduced an innovative, simple, and fast oil sampling method using hydrophobic filter paper and demonstrated its compatibility with DART-ToF MS analysis. Motor oils, jet fuels, marine diesels, crude oils, intermediate fuel oils, heavy fuel oils, and diluted bitumen were collected using the filter paper sampling method. Classification models were constructed from the spectral data by heat map inspection followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC). Oil slicks and weathered oil slicks were prepared from five oil types, and samples from each slick were collected using filter paper.ResultsThe filter paper technique allowed for effective oil sampling and data acquisition by DART-ToF MS for diluted source oils, oil slicks and weathered oil slicks. Classification via the constructed DAPC models indicated that the DART-ToF MS instrument in tandem with filter paper sampling and multivariate statistics can accurately identify common oil types, with significant improvement of sample collection and turnaround time.ConclusionsThe promising classification results, simple sample collection, and rapid data analysis illustrate the potential use of hydrophobic filter paper and DART-ToF MS as tools in managing large scale oil spill emergency situations.

Bioaccumulation of chemical elements in fish from areas affected by oil on the coast of Bahia, Brazil

In 2019, the Brazilian coast was affected by the largest oil spill in its history. We assessed the levels of chemical elements in Lutjanus synagris and Haemulon aurolienatum fish from Itacaré (least affected area), Tinharé-Boipeba (most affected area) and Madre de Deus (chronically affected area). The level of metals differed between species, tissues, life cycle phases, maturation stages and between sampled locations, indicating the influence of biological and environmental aspects on bioaccumulation. Only fish in Madre de Deus showed lead contamination, while arsenic concentrations in the three areas exceeded the maximum value acceptable by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency). It is suggested that the oil spill may have impacted species differently, also having an impact in fish from less affected areas. However, metal concentrations in fish in Madre de Deus stood out when compared to populations in other studied areas.

Nanocomposites with polyurethane polymer matrix/ particulate material

The environment is currently considered one of the main concerns of the industrial sector and society. In the particular case of the oil industry, one of the biggest environmental catastrophes that can happen are large oil spills, where to reduce or minimize the environmental damage caused, various cleaning methods are used. Thus, nanocomposites aim to change the mechanical, physical and chemical properties of polymer matrices. The main focus of modifying Polyurethanes has been directed to materials science, the objective of which is to obtain particulate materials, allowing surfaces to be differentiated, reducing surface energy and increasing interlayer spacing for polymer intercalation. This particulate material, produced and modified, interspersed with the Polymer, allows us to absorb crude oil, as it is hydrophobic and, consequently, organophilic. The factors that define the degree of sorption of organic compounds are: hydrophobicity, porosity, molecular structure and volume, and the volume of the surface area of the sorbent material. Therefore, the sorbent must be wettable by the hydrophobic compound and non-wettable or slightly wettable by water. Sorbent materials must have characteristics such as a large surface area, high porosity, good oleophilic character, as well as good oil retention capacity and ease of application. Polyurethane presents several of these characteristics, making it an interesting sorbent for the oil sector. The present work studies the obtaining of these nanocomposites, using a particulate material to combat leaks or spills of hydrocarbons.

Ten years later: An update on the status of collections of endemic Gulf of Mexico fishes put at risk by the 2010 Oil Spill.

The 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon was the largest oil spill in human history that occurred during a 12-week period in a region less than 100 km from the coast of Louisiana; however, after more than a decade of post-spill research, few definitives can be said to be known about the long-term impacts on the development and distribution of fishes in and around the region of the disaster. Here, we examine endemic Gulf of Mexico fish species that may have been most impacted by noting their past distributions in the region of the spill and examining data of known collecting events and observations over the last twenty years (ten years prior to the spill, ten years post-spill). Five years post-spill, it was reported that 48 of the Gulf's endemic fish species had not been collected and, with expanded methods, we now report that 29 (of the 78 endemic species) have not been reported in collections since 2010 (five of these are only known from observations post-spill). Although the good news that some previously 'missing' species have been found may be cause to celebrate, the lack of information for many species remains a cause for concern given focused sampling efforts post-spill.

The role of habitat heterogeneity and timescales on the recovery of reef epifaunal communities affected by a massive oil spill in the tropics

From August 2019 to January 2020 the Brazilian Coast was impacted by the largest oil spill in the Tropical oceans ever since. Paiva Beach, one of the most preserved sandy beaches in the northeast tropical Brazilian coast, was among the most affected regions by the oil spill in October 2019. This area has important reef systems that harbor abundant macroalgal assemblages with very diverse epifaunal communities. The present study aims to evaluate the impacts of the 2019 oil spill on epifauna associated with the seaweed species Jania capillacea and Penicillus capitatus collected in Paiva Beach from July 2019 to October 2022, and use the interaction macroalgae/epifauna/timescale as a proxy to quantify the effects of oil spills on communities structure and recovery. The epifauna of both algae did not suffer severe changes in abundance immediately after the spill, however, the abundance of taxa like echinoderms, sea spiders (Pycnogonida) and peracarid crustaceans dropped during or soon after the event, whereas others, like sabellid worms, had strong increase in abundance, possibly related to the spill. Both phytal assemblages also had distinct temporal patterns in species diversity and abundance, the last being strongly correlated to amphipod abundance for some taxa. The epifauna of J. capillacea had a short-term tendency of decrease in taxonomic diversity, whereas the epifaunal communities of P. capitatus gained a few taxa in the months immediately after the disaster. The diversity profiles of both communities returned to pre-spill conditions a few months later, with a slower abundance recovery in J. capillacea. Local environmental characteristics like landscape heterogeneity, connectivity with other environments, and critical-species (mainly amphipods) were possibly the main buffering factors for the phytal communities after the oil spill.

Physiological effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in fish organism

The pollution of world ocean is a serious threat to the biodiversity of flora and fauna. One of the most important sources of pollution are oil and oil products – every year more than 1 million tons of oil is spilled into the sea as a result of accidents during oil production or transportation. The teratogenic and carcinogenic effects of such oil components as benzopyrene is well known since the middle of the last century. However, after a large oil spill from “Exxon Valdez” tanker in 1989 it became clear that oil and its components have strong toxic effects in fish organism – and to a large extent these effects are caused by di- and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular phenanthrene. Field research have demonstrated that fish embryo and larvae are the most prone to the effects of oil – and the largest oil spills endanger the populations of important commercial fish species that spawn in this area. This review considers the influence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on the physiology of various organ systems in fish. Particular attention is paid to the cardiotoxic effects of PAH which were recently discovered and which are potentially not only the main cause of animals’ death upon the spill of PAH into water, but also underlie the malformation of other organs.

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On January 15, 2022, Latin America’s largest oil spill in recent history occurred off the Pe- ruvian coast. The Foreign Ministry announced it was the worst ecological disaster in recent times due to the sheer scale of the spill. The affected area was approximately 11,061 hectares (110.61 km2). Due to the size and location of the oil spill, remote sensing techniques were the most expedient method to obtain a quick assessment of the affected area. Accordingly, satellite imagery was used to monitor the extent and change in the oil spill. This change was measured qualitatively (visual) and quantitatively (Normalised Difference Water Index, NDWI). The quality of the results were hindered by the temporal resolution of each satellite.

Limited impact of weathered residues from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the gut-microbiome and foraging behavior of sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus)

ABSTRACT The Deepwater Horizon disaster of April 2010 was the largest oil spill in U.S. history and exerted catastrophic effects on several ecologically important fish species in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Within fish, the microbiome plays a key symbiotic role in maintaining host health and aids in acquiring nutrients, supporting immune function, and modulating behavior. The aim of this study was to examine if exposure to weathered oil might produce significant shifts in fish gut-associated microbial communities as determined from taxa and genes known for hydrocarbon degradation, and whether foraging behavior was affected. The gut microbiome (16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomics) of sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) was characterized after fish were exposed to oil in High Energy Water Accommodated Fractions (HEWAF; tPAH = 81.1 ± 12.4 µg/L) for 7 days. A foraging behavioral assay was used to determine feeding efficiency before and after oil exposure. The fish gut microbiome was not significantly altered in alpha or beta diversity. None of the most abundant taxa produced any significant shifts as a result of oil exposure, with only rare taxa showing significant shifts in abundance between treatments. However, several bioindicator taxa known for hydrocarbon degradation were detected in the oil treatment, primarily Sphingomonas and Acinetobacter. Notably, the genus Stenotrophomonas was detected in high abundance in 16S data, which previously was not described as a core member of fish gut microbiomes. Data also demonstrated that behavior was not significantly affected by oil exposure. Potential low bioavailability of the oil may have been a factor in our observation of minor shifts in taxa and no behavioral effects. This study lays a foundation for understanding the microbiome of captive sheepshead minnows and indicates the need for further research to elucidate the responses of the fish gut-microbiome under oil spill conditions.

The Impact of Highly Weathered Oil from the Most Extensive Oil Spill in Tropical Oceans (Brazil) on the Microbiome of the Coral Mussismilia harttii.

In 2019, the largest oil spill ever recorded in tropical oceans in terms of extent occurred in Brazil. The oil from the spill was collected directly from the environment and used in an exposure experiment with the endangered reef-building coral Mussismilia harttii. The treatments of the experiment were control (without oil), 1% oil, 2.5% oil, and direct contact of coral with oil. The most abundant hydrocarbon in the seawater of the experiment was phenatrene, which is toxic to corals. However, overall, the concentration of PAHs was not very high. The analysis of the maximum photosynthetic capacity of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates showed a small impact of oil on corals, mainly on the contact treatment. However, coral microbiomes were affected in all oil treatments, with the contact treatment showing the most pronounced impact. A greater number and abundance of stress-indicating and potentially pathogenic bacteria were found in all oil treatments. Finally, this highly weathered oil that had lain in the ocean for a long time was carrying potentially coral-pathogenic bacteria within the Vibrionaceae family and was able to transmit some of these bacteria to corals. Bacteria within Vibrionaceae are the main causes of disease in different species of corals and other marine organisms.

Industrial and Environmental Disaster Risk Assessment for Hazardous Materials in Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Industrial disasters may cause massive public health problems, as they create large environmental damage and major loss of life. Balikpapan City has experienced a large oil spill which caused an industrial and environmental disaster: five fishermen died, various public health problems arose, and damage to environmental wildlife and ecosystems occurred. The objective of this study was to evaluate the industrial and environmental disaster risk related to hazardous material (hazmat) in Balikpapan. The research method involved the use of a semi-quantitative risk analysis with an originally organized checklist, a risk matrix, and a Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. The results suggested that the risk score in Balikpapan’s City is 32 (MEDIUM; the dominant types of hazmat were flammables and corrosives). The major sectors contributing to the risk appeared to be the mining, energy, and oil and gas industries, with a medium risk (average risk score 33), while one clean water industry showed a low risk (risk score 24) using the checklist and risk matrix. According to the results from the GIS mapping, the areas t the highest risks appeared to be located within Balikpapan City coastal regions. The industries and the government of Balikpapan must be prepared for industrial and environmental disasters by educating competent major hazmat responders and ensuring a large spills response equipment, extensive environmental monitoring and measurement, procedures to deal with major fire and explosions and adequate disaster communication and coordination.

Study of the evolution of oil spill sites based on high-resolution satellite images: the case of the Samotlor field

A methodology for visual interpretation of accidental oil spills using satellite images from the WorldView-3 satellite equipped with short-wave infrared (SWIR) channels is proposed, with verification using multi-temporal very-high-resolution images in the Google Earth system. The analysis of the images of four large oil spills in the southeastern part of the Samotlor field made it possible to study the degradation changes in different types of vegetation and the processes of its self-recovery for 2017–2022. The comparison of the results of image analysis with the data from field studies reveals their good agreement and the need for further development of methods for remote monitoring of oil spills using the SWIR range.

Ocean monitoring, observation network and modelling of the Gulf of Mexico by CIGOM

The tragic accident of the Macondo platform operated by British Petroleum (BP) unleashed in 2010 one of the largest oil spills in history, lasting over three months, spilling nearly 500 million liters of oil in one of the most biodiverse ocean regions. This accident revealed the technological deficiencies for the control of a spill in deep waters of the hydrocarbon industry. Simultaneously it showed important gaps in knowledge to predict the propagation and fate of the large volumes of hydrocarbons at depth and on the surface ocean and, more importantly, on their impact on the great ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. The necessity to understand and predict the transport, fate and ecosystem-level impacts of large oil spills in the southern Gulf of Mexico, a key region for oil exploration and extraction, led policymakers, scientists, and industry representatives from PEMEX (the Mexican oil company) to jointly launch an ocean observation project (2015-22) aimed to provide a multi-layered environmental baseline, develop a modern monitoring and computational modeling capacity and promote scientific understanding of the marine environment throughout the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The initiative, led by the Research Consortium for the Gulf of Mexico (CIGoM), brought together more than 300 multidisciplinary researchers from more than a two dozen institutions in Mexico and abroad, including the Centre for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE) as the leading institution, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) in Mérida, the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), and the Centre for Engineering and Industrial Development (CIDESI). Financial support was provided by the National Council for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Energy Hydrocarbon Fund.

Rapid spilled oil analysis using direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry

BackgroundThe biomarker diagnostic ratio analysis outlined by the European Committee for Standardization is considered the current gold standard in oil forensic analysis. However, it has a major limitation as an emergency response procedure in the case of a large scale oil spill due to the high number of samples collected, long GC/MS instrument run time, and the time-consuming data processing required. This current study utilized direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry to develop a rapid spilled oil screening method. An exploratory search of biomarkers and synthetic additives was conducted on reference oil samples of various types. To build a robust yet swift procedure for oil typing, specific heat maps were built with extensive reference sample modelling. These heat maps were then used to select relevant ions from which principal component analysis and discriminant analysis of principal component models were constructed to result in defensible oil classifications.ResultsThe initial exploratory search of biomarkers and additives in the various reference oil samples resulted in promising preliminary matches. The heat map and multivariate statistical analysis oil typing method was applied to three unknown samples, all of which were classified accurately.ConclusionThe merit of direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry on oil forensic was confirmed with the detected biomarkers compound class starting members and lubricating additives along with the successful application of heat maps and multivariate statistical analysis, providing a swift yet reliable screening tool for oil spill environmental monitoring and impact surveying.

Semi-quantitative risk assessment of marine mammal oil exposure: A case study in the western Gulf of Mexico

Marine mammals are highly vulnerable to oil spills, although the effects at both individual and population levels are not fully understood. A first approximation to evaluate the possible consequences of oil spills on marine life is using ecological risk assessments, which are analytical tools used to assess the likelihood of adverse environmental effects due to exposure to stressors derived from human activities. We developed a semi-quantitative framework to evaluate the risk of oil spill exposure on marine mammals that combines the likelihood of exposure based on species-specific biological and ecological traits, and the feasibility of encounter, which considers not only the overlap between the distribution of the species and the total affected area by a spill but also considers the distribution of spilled oil within this area, thus reducing the uncertainty in the estimate. We applied our framework to assess the risk of exposure of eight cetaceans to scenarios of large heavy oil (API gravity<22) spills originating from three hypothetical deep-water wells in the western Gulf of Mexico. High habitat suitability areas obtained using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling approach were used as a proxy for the geographic regions where each species is likely to be distributed, and oil spill scenarios were generated using numerical models incorporating transport, dispersion, and oil degradation. The analysis allowed identifying those species for which there is a significant risk of exposure in each spill scenario. However, our results suggest that the risk does not appear to be high for any species under any scenario. The information generated by our risk assessment is key to developing management plans in those areas of the Gulf of Mexico where deep-water activities of the hydrocarbon industry are currently being developed or planned.

Long-Term Petroleum Hydrocarbons Pollution after a Coastal Oil Spill

The long-term status of petroleum hydrocarbons in both seawater and sediment contaminated by the Dalian New Port oil spill has been investigated since 2010. Seawater recovery is relatively swift and is complete within two years, while oil contamination persists in the coastal sediments for several years. Because of the slow degradation and low mobility in sediments, they serve as long-term reservoirs for residual oils. The erosion of sediments into the water column leads to an abrupt increase in hydrocarbons during storms. The cumulative results of hydrodynamic transport and ongoing industrial emissions lead to a spatial shift of hot spots with high petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations from the spill site to the inner corner of the bay. In addition to continuous petroleum hydrocarbon emissions from contiguous coastal outfalls, the regional oil contamination will persist indefinitely. The research provides comprehensive information for years to come to evaluate the long-term damage and multiphase medium impacts of a large oil spill.

A Comprehensive Review of Canadian Marine Oil Spill Response System through the Lens of Decanting Regulations and Practices

Marine oil spill response operations could generate a large volume of liquid oily wastes (e.g., emulsified oil, non-emulsified oil, and wastewater) that can be up to 30 to 40 times greater than the original volume of spilled oil. Oil decanting technologies are used globally for recovering spilled oil and handling liquid wastes. Canada follows the standards set out in the MARPOL 73/78 Annex 1 International regulations in most areas, with more strict discharge requirements in certain locations. For instance, inland waters discharge should not exceed 5 ppm, and in special areas, such as the Great Lakes, the discharge standard is under 0 ppm. In the event of an oil spill, decanted seawater should be barged to shore for disposal, which significantly constrains the response capacity and efficiency of oil recovery by skimmers due to limited temporary storage space in barges and the long time and high cost of transportation. This has become one of the greatest challenges the Canadian governments and oil spill response industries are facing in Canada. Moreover, when the spill response team decides that decanting is an appropriate way to handle the spilled oil, the approval process may take a long time, which negatively impacts the spill that has already occurred. Moreover, Canada uses a 10,000-tonne planning standard for oil spill preparedness, whereas the United States uses a worst-case scenario, and Europe uses a 60,000 m3 planning standard. The existing planning threshold in Canada can cause the country to be not fully prepared when it comes to responding to a very large oil spill if one should occur. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the current Canadian oil spill response system and framework, regulations, roles and responsibilities of federal and provincial governments, existing decanting capabilities, and capacities of Canadian oil spill responders. More importantly, this study identified the gaps in the current oil spill response system and regulatory and technological barriers to oil decanting. Marine oil decanting regulations and practices in the US and selected European countries have also been reviewed to support addressing the challenges and improving the Canadian experience. It is expected that this study would help the stakeholders and professionals to better understand the oil spill response system and oil decanting status quo in Canada and facilitate Canadian governments and industries to better address the challenges in oil spill regulations and practices.

Electrospinning fabrication of magnetic nanoparticles-embedded polycaprolactone (PCL) sorbent with enhanced sorption capacity and recovery speed for spilled oil removal

The use of oil-soaked sorbents in the recovery and cleaning of oil spills presents challenges due to disposal. Recently, magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) based collection has been gaining interest as a new technique to lower the amount of labor required to treat oil spills. In this study, we devised a new method for the preparation of a magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) embedded polycaprolactone (PCL) sorbent with oleophilic and environmentally friendly features, capable of bring easily collected under a magnetic field. Compared with conventional polypropylene sorbents, the MNP embedded PCL sorbent (MNP/PCL) displayed excellent Arabian light (AL) crude oil sorption capacity (45.7gg-1) and decreased the absorption time of the oil-soaked sorbent due to its electrospun structure and efficient distribution of hydrophobic MNPs. Furthermore, the MNP/PCL based sorbent became fully pyrolyzed under certain temperatures and conditions. The MNP embedded PCL-based sorbent demonstrated broad applicability and utility in large scale oil spill projects.

Detection of Oil Spills in the Northern South China Sea Using Landsat-8 OLI

Petroleum extraction, transportation, and consumption in the marine environment contribute to a large portion of anthropogenic oil spills into the ocean. While previous research focuses more on large oil spill accidents from oil tankers or offshore oil platforms, there are few systematic records on occasional regional oil spills. In this study, optical imagery from Landsat-8 OLI was used to detect oil slicks on the ocean surface through spatial analysis and spectral diagnosis in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). The source of the slicks was identified through datasets from traffic density and platform locations. A total of 632 oil slicks were detected in the NSCS from 2015 to 2019, where 57 were from platforms sources, and 490 were from ships. The average area of the detected slicks was 4.8 km2, and half of the slicks had areas <1.7 km2. Major oil spill hot spots included coastal Guangdong (ship origins), southeast and northeast Dongsha Island (ship origins), middle of south Beibu Gulf (ship and platform origins), and southeast Pearl River Estuary (platform origins). Through this study, we demonstrate the capability of medium-resolution optical imagery in monitoring regional oil spills. Such results and methods may help in near real-time oil spill monitoring and further environmental assessments.

Biliary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Metabolite Equivalents Measured in Fish and Subtidal Invertebrates Following the Refugio Beach Oil Spill.

Monterey formation crude oil spilled from an onshore pipeline and entered the surf zone near Refugio State Beach, Santa Barbara County, CA, USA on 19 May 2015. Exposure to nearshore fish was evaluated by measuring biliary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolite concentrations in surfperch (Embiotocidae), collected near the release point, at a lesser oiled area, Gaviota State Beach, and near the Coal Oil Point oil seep, Campus Point, at both four days and approximately one year after the oil spill. Three to four weeks after the spill, fish, invertebrates, and kelp were collected near the same three sites for PAH analysis of edible tissues to support the fishery closure assessment. Additionally, thirteen days after the spill, vegetation, and invertebrate tissue samples from the seafloor near Refugio State Beach were analyzed for PAHs. In surfperch bile, mean naphthalene, phenanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene metabolite equivalents were significantly higher at Refugio State Beach, compared to Gaviota State Beach or Campus Point in 2015. One year later, there was no significant difference between the three sites. Spatial and depth zone patterns of PAH tissue concentrations from composited invertebrate, vegetation and fish showed highest concentrations were measured in invertebrates collected near Refugio State Beach. Overall, results show elevated PAH levels in nearshore organisms and provide a useful reference for potential PAH exposures in fish and subtidal invertebrates following a large nearshore oil spill.