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Published Science Highlights
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Grad Student Viamonte Puts Pressure on Microbial Oil Degradation
Posted on September 27, 2018When the Deepwater Horizon incident occurred, not much was known about how conditions in the deep sea would affect oil biodegradation. Juan Viamonte uses high-pressure reactors that simulate conditions at depth to observe microbial degradation and help predict what might happen should another deep-ocean oil spill occur. -
New Sea Grant Publication on Oysters and Oil Spills
Posted on September 25, 2018The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative is pleased to announce a new Sea Grant publication about how oysters, which play a critical role in a healthy coastal wetland, fare when faced with oil exposure. The outreach publication also discusses how the Deepwater Horizon incident and subsequent response efforts affected oysters, a vital part of Louisiana’s seafood industry which is the nation’s second-largest seafood supplier. -
Grad Student Keating Surveys Children and Families for Long-Term Oil Spill Impacts
Posted on September 20, 2018Following the Deepwater Horizon incident, the National Center for Disaster Preparedness surveyed households in highly-affected areas of Louisiana to track the event’s impacts on the physical and social health of coastal families and their communities. -
Study Shows Oil Exposure Not Likely to Reduce Fish’s Ability to Compensate for Hypoxia
Posted on September 18, 2018Researchers conducted experiments on Atlantic Croaker to determine if oil-induced respiratory impairment affects the fish’s tolerance to hypoxia. There were no observed effects from the combined stressors (oil exposure and hypoxia) on fish’s average critical oxygen threshold levels or its capacity to withstand hypoxia. -
AGU Honors Christopher Reddy with 2018 Ambassador Award
Posted on September 13, 2018The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative congratulates Dr. Christopher “Chris” Reddy for being honored with the 2018 American Geophysical Union’s Ambassador Award. -
Study Documents How Riverine Fronts Influence Oil Transport Pathways
Posted on September 11, 2018Scientists used drifters, drones, satellite imagery, and air/water measurements to investigate how local and regional ocean processes in the Gulf of Mexico influence where surface oil from the leaking Taylor Energy Site travels. -
Grad Student Karthikeyan Uses Genetics to Understand Microbial Oil Degradation in Beach Sands
Posted on September 6, 2018Petroleum hydrocarbons released by oil spills can accumulate on beaches and in nearshore sediments, potentially creating health risks for humans and coastal organisms. However, the highly variable conditions of beach environments make it difficult to determine the long-term behavior and fate of hydrocarbons in sands and sediment. -
Study Finds Sunlight Reduced Dispersant’s Effectiveness During Deepwater Horizon
Posted on September 4, 2018Scientists conducted light-exposure experiments using Macondo oil and Corexit dispersant and ran model simulations to investigate how photo-chemical weathering (oxidation) affects dispersant effectiveness in oil spill response. -
Study Finds Hurricane Isaac Prolonged Oil Spill Impacts on Some Marsh Insects and Spiders
Posted on August 30, 2018Researchers collected and analyzed terrestrial arthropods from Louisiana marshes to determine the combined effects from Deepwater Horizon and Hurricane Isaac on saltmarsh ecosystems. The initial oiling from the spill (2010) followed by the oil’s redistribution during Hurricane Isaac (2012) negatively affected some arthropod groups three-four years after the spill. -
Smithsonian Rolls Out New Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Webpage
Posted on August 28, 2018The Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal recently redesigned their website, and it now includes a page dedicated to the Deepwater Horizon incident.
