Leslie Smith – Page 89 – Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative

(Maria Vozzo grades oyster larvae at the LA Sea Grant oyster hatchery. Here, she filters out smaller, younger larvae and collects larger ones ready to settle into spat. Two weeks later, Maria counted the spat that had grown on the tiles and placed the tiles in predator exclusion cages in the field. (Photo credit: Stephanie Grodeska)

Grad Student Vozzo Assesses Oil Impacts on Louisiana Oysters

August 26, 2014

Maria Vozzo’s strong interest in Deepwater Horizon research led her from North Carolina to Louisiana to study the oil’s effects on local oysters.

Imaging Shows Bubbles Could Make Energy-Efficient Nanoparticles

August 22, 2014

High-speed cameras and UV-sensitive materials are helping advance understanding of bubbles — which could mean big things for nanoparticles.

In this image, two weathered-oil chromatograms are compared: the top is a less-weathered sample and the bottom is a more-weathered sample. To visualize trends of compound mass losses, researchers compared percent mass loss chromatograms (PMLCs), which correspond to the percent of signal lost from the weathered-sample chromatograms relative to the original Macondo Well oil chromatogram, computed for each pixel. PMLCs allow comparisons within compound classes. (Image credit: Jonas Gros, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne)

Study Uncovers Spectrum of Fate for Weathered Oil

August 19, 2014

U.S. and Swiss chemists used comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) to more accurately understand oil fate from the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Amitesh Saha displays his setup to study the underwater injection of dispersant on an oil plume. (Provided by Saha)

Grad Student Saha Makes Strides towards an Eco-friendly Dispersant Alternative

August 18, 2014

Amitesh Saha is on a mission to find safer alternatives to dispersants currently being used in oil spill cleanup.

Researchers Find Way To Track Invisible, Underwater Oil

August 18, 2014

Researchers have discovered a new way to track the presence of oil in water even after visible slicks have vanished, a tool that could help give scientists a better idea of how oil spills impact the environment.

2015 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference: Call for Abstracts

August 11, 2014

The 2015 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference is soliciting abstracts designed to share the latest research findings and contribute to dialogue on research implications, applications, synthesis and future direction.

NBA Player Makes Science the Star for Miami Youth

August 6, 2014

NBA Champion James Jones took the stage for young fans this July, but not to talk about sports. Instead, his goal was to get kids excited about cutting-edge science happening in their home town.

Causes of Fish Skin Lesions Ruled Out, Except for BP Oil Spill, New Study Says

August 5, 2014

A team of scientists studying the cause of skin lesions found on fish in the Gulf of Mexico in 2011 and 2012 have been unable to rule out toxic chemicals contained in oil released during the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill as their cause, according to a peer reviewed study released Monday (Aug. 4).

Shown here is a mixture of oil and gas coming out of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo wellhead. (Image provided by D. Lindo-Atichati)

Study Improves Tracking and Forecasting of Underwater Oil Plumes

August 4, 2014

Scientists used models, lab experiments, and observations from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to evaluate the importance of variables in oil transport and fate models, particularly those influencing underwater plume development.

Impact of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Coral is Deeper and Broader than Predicted

July 30, 2014

A new discovery of two additional coral communities showing signs of damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill expands the impact footprint of the 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The discovery was made by a team led by Charles Fisher, professor of biology at Penn State University.