Louisiana Environmental Action Network

In response to the BP Oil Disaster, the Lower Mississippi River Keeper (LMRK), Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN), and Subra Company have performed monitoring, sampling and analysis of the environment and seafood in the coastal estuaries and wetlands of Louisiana. Monitoring of the environmental and human health impacts were initiated immediately following the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting crude oil spill on April 20, 2010.  Physical and chemical field sampling and analysis of the wetlands and ecosystems, along the coast of Louisiana, were initiated on August 2, 2010. The field sampling has been performed and continues to be performed on an ongoing basis since August 2, 2010, from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line.

Results of sampling performed by the Lower Mississippi River Keeper from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line, in the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas of Louisiana.
January 3rd 2011

by Wilma Subra
Subra Company

Paul Orr
Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper

Michael Orr
Louisiana Environmental Action Network

In response to the BP Oil Disaster, the Lower Mississippi River Keeper (LMRK), Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN), and Subra Company have performed monitoring, sampling and analysis of the environment and seafood in the coastal estuaries and wetlands of Louisiana. Monitoring of the environmental and human health impacts were initiated immediately following the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting crude oil spill on April 20, 2010.  Physical and chemical field sampling and analysis of the wetlands and ecosystems, along the coast of Louisiana, were initiated on August 2, 2010. The field sampling has been performed and continues to be performed on an ongoing basis since August 2, 2010, from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line.

Wetlands and Ecosystem Soil/Sediment

The wetlands and ecosystem soil/sediment from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line contained 6 to 89 individual Alkylated Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons (ORO) up to 11,600 mg/kg (1.16%) which corresponded to the fingerprint of the  BP Louisiana Sweet Crude.

Sixty percent of the soil/sediment samples had up to 18 PAHs in excess of the Marine Sediment Screening Levels.  Soil/Sediment samples to date from Atchafalaya Bay, Brenton Sound and Baptiste Collette Bayou exceeded the Marine Sediment Screening  Levels for Alkylated PAHs.  The soil/sediment from Baptiste Collette  Bayou had the largest number of Alkylated PAHs (89) and also exceeded the Arsenic Marine Sediment Screening Levels.  Red Fish Bay in the Mississippi River delta had the largest number of Alkylated PAHs in excess of the Marine Sediment Screening Levels (18) and the largest concentration of Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons (1.16%).  All of the areas sampled had soil/sediments contaminated with Alkylated PAHs and Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons.

Tissue

Alkylated PAHs were and continue to be detected in aquatic seafood species from the wetlands and estuaries along the Louisiana coast from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi border.

Oyster

Oyster samples have contaminated with up to 8,815 to 12,500 mg/kg Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons.  The oyster samples have also contained up the 4 Alkylated PAHs, Fluoranthene, Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, and Pyrene in concentrations of 1.4 to 63 ug/kg.

Blue Crab

Blue crab samples have contained up to 2,230 to 3,583 mg/kg Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons and up to 4 Alkylated PAHs, Fluoranthene, Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene in concentrations from 84.6 to 162 ug/kg.

Shrimp

Shrimp samples have contained up to 8,356 mg/kg Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons and 5 Alkylated PAHs, Anthracene, Fluoranthene, Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene up to 69.4 ug/kg.

Mussel

A mussel sample was contaminated with 6,900 mg/kg Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons and the Alkylated PAHs Anthracene, 2-Methylnaphthalene, Naphthalene, and Phenanthrene at a total concentration of 386 ug/kg.

Fish, Crab and Snail

Samples of fin fish, fiddler crab, hermit crab and snail contained up to 21,575 mg/kg Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons and the Alkylated PAH Phenanthrene.

Summary

Wetlands and ecosystem soil/sediment samples and aquatic tissue samples from all areas sampled contained Alkylated PAHs and Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons.  A number of additional tissue samples are currently being analyzed and will be reported in the near future.