The Grounding of the Bahia Paraiso: A Continuing Study of the Environmental Fate of an Antarctic Oil Spill

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The grounding of the Argentine ship Bahia Paraiso near the United States Palmer Station highlighted the need, and potential, for resolving hydrocarbon contamination due to acute releases, chronic exposure and global transport. This study will investigate the distribution, sources, and fate of hydrocarbons along the Antarctic Peninsula. Hydrocarbons are ubiquitous components of marine and terrestrial systems and represent inputs from biological processes, local contamination, atmospheric transport, recycled continental material and digenesis. The biogeochemical cycle of hydrocarbons encompasses a variety of interaction which impart characteristic compositions that are useful as tracers of complex processes. Detailed analysis of hydrocarbons and their alteration products will be used to document the relative importance of various inputs as well as provide insight into the processes that determine pollutant distributions. Cores taken close to scientific stations will be used to document the onset, composition, and magnitude of hydrocarbon pollution caused by man's presence on the Antarctic Peninsula. This historical perspective will be provided by the analysis of core samples dated by tracer methods. Shallow sediments collected near Palmer Station will be analyzed as well as surficial sediments from remote areas. Data collected will be used to assess the importance of present day atmospheric transport of combustion product hydrocarbons. The relative importance of localized anthropogenic, global anthropogenic and natural combustion hydrocarbons is expected to be resolved.