Fate and Effect of Oil in the Aquatic Environment, Gulf Coast Region

Fate And Effect Of Oil In The Aquatic Environment, Gulf Coast Region by Lewis R. Brown. This EPA report summarizes a multi-disciplinary study of how crude oil behaves and affects estuarine systems along the Gulf Coast. The work combines laboratory experiments, field observations, and two pilot-plant ecosystems to investigate persistence, transport, and chronic ecological effects of oil spills, focusing on Empire Mix crude oil and comparisons with Saudi Arabian, Nigerian, Iranian, and Venezuelan oils. It documents that oil rapidly leaves the water column and settles into sediments, with long-term residues, especially in marsh soils. It details impacts on marsh vegetation productivity, zooplankton, phytoplankton, fish (mullet), shrimp, and oysters, including acute toxicity, sublethal physiological changes, and disease in mullet (fin rot) under certain conditions. The results emphasize the value of pilot-plant ecosystems for linking lab findings to real-world responses and highlight the need for additional studies to guide cleanup and restoration strategies in estuarine environments.