Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development
Open Access

Abstract

Composition and concentration of hydrocarbons (normal and isoprenoid alkanes, triterpenoids, steranes, and PAHs) in nearshore surface sediments from Elson Lagoon (EL), Colville Delta-Prudhoe Bay (CDPB) and Beaufort Lagoon (BL), Alaskan Beaufort Sea, were assessed for spatio-temporal variability. Principal component analysis of the molecules/biomarkers concentrations delineated CDPB and BL samples into two groups, and cluster analysis identified three station groups in CDPB. Overall there was no geographic distribution pattern in the groups. The diversities between groups and individual samples are attributed to differences in n-alkanes and PAHs contents, which are influenced predominantly by sediment granulometry and site-specific fluvial input. The predominant hydrocarbon source is biogenic, mainly terrigenous, with hardly any contribution from natural oil seeps, oil drill effluents and/or refined crude. The terrigenous source is corroborated by δ13C, δ15N, and OC/N of sediment organic matter. Time-interval (1976-77, 1984 and 1997) changes in hydrocarbon compositions and concentrations in CDPB are not significant.

Biography

Sathy Naidu is a professor emeritus in geological oceanography and his research interest includes lithological and chemical facies changes in modern sediments of the Arctic and Tropical deltas and the subarctic fjords, Holocene sedimentation, Pleistocene history of the Arctic Ocean, Bering Basin and paleomonsoons. Additional interests have been clay mineralogy, carbon and oxygen isotope stratigraphy, trace metal and radionuclide geochemistry of arctic marine sediments.