Zinc concentrations in the water column influenced by the oil spill in the vicinity of the Prestige shipwreck
7 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. [EN] Sixteen days after the Prestige tanker sank in the Northeast Atlantic (42º11′ N, 12º02′ W), a sampling campaign in the neighbouring water column was carried out in order to evaluate the posibility of zinc contamination due to the oil spill. Samples were taken in th...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | Spanish English |
| Published: |
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
2003
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/26210 |
| Summary: | 7 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. [EN] Sixteen days after the Prestige tanker sank in the Northeast Atlantic (42º11′ N, 12º02′ W), a sampling campaign in the neighbouring water column was carried out in order to evaluate the posibility of zinc contamination due to the oil spill. Samples were taken in the water column (0–190 m) and in bottom waters –in the vicinity of the bow and stern– where the tanker lies (3520–3820 m). Total zinc concentrations found ranged from 14 to 571 nM, which are from one to two orders of magnitude higher than typical concentrations in these waters (0.2–3.2 nM). Therefore, a contamination by this metal, contained in the oil spilt from the tanks of the sunken ship, was detected. Zinc was also found to be a good tracer to detect the presence of fuel in those areas free of patches. [ES] Dieciséis días después del hundimiento del petrolero Prestige en el Atlántico Noreste (zona 42º11′ N, 12º02′ W) se llevó a cabo una campaña de muestreo en la columna de agua adyacente para evaluar la posible contaminación de zinc debido al fuel derramado al agua. Para ello se tomaron muestras en la columna de agua (0–190 m) y en el fondo marino –en las proximidades de la proa y popa– donde yace el petrolero (3530–3820 m). Las concentraciones totales de zinc obtenidas oscilaron entre 14 y 571 nM, esto es, de uno a dos órdenes de magnitud superiores a las normales en esas aguas (0.2–3.2 nM). Se detecta, pues, una contaminación por este metal contenido en el fuel vertido procedente de los tanques del buque hundido. El zinc resulta, además, un buen trazador para detectar la presencia de fuel en zonas limpias de manchas. The second author would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology for the financial support (FPI grant). Peer reviewed |
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