Pelagic tar balls collected in the North Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea from 1988 to 2016 have natural and anthropogenic origins. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Green, Hilary S.; Fuller, Sarah A.; Meyer, Audrey W.; Joyce, Paul S.; Aeppli, Christoph; Nelson, Robert K.; Swarthout, Robert F.; Valentine, David L.; White, Helen K.; Reddy, Christopher M.
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 137(2018)
• Page Start: 352
• Page End: 359
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Oil -- Petroleum -- Hydrocarbon -- Gas -- Chromatography; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Tar balls are prevalent in oceans and the coastal environment; however, their origins are not well constrained on a global scale. To address this, we used gas chromatography to analyze the molecular composition of a unique set of 100 pelagic tar balls collected in the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea between 1988 and 2016. Hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA) was employed to classify the samples into groups based on the relative proportions of resolved and unresolved hydrocarbon distributions. Additional analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons revealed that 28% of samples originated from heavy fuel oils and therefore had anthropogenic origins consistent with the classifications based on HCA. Other samples examined could originate from anthropogenic or natural origins, such as natural seeps. This study provides a preliminary record of 100 classified pelagic tar ball samples and demonstrates an approach to determine their origin to the environment. Highlights: At least 28% of pelagic tar balls in the Western North Atlantic are heavy fuel oil. The chemical composition of tar balls in the Western North Atlantic varies greatly. Hierarchal cluster analysis is a useful tool to sort and compare tar ball samples.