High temperature and solar radiation in the Red Sea enhance the dissolution of crude oil from surface films.

ABSTRACT: The Red Sea is a hotspot of biodiversity susceptible to oil pollution. Besides, it is one of the warmest seas on the Earth with highly transparent waters. In this study, we estimated the oil dissolution rates under natural sunlight spectra and temperature conditions using coastal oil slicks collected after the 2019 Sabiti oil spill in the Red Sea. Optical analyses revealed the significant interactive effect of sunlight and temperature in enhancing the dissolution of oil into dissolved organic matter (DOM). The highest oil dissolution rate (38.68 g C m^-3 d^-1) was observed in full-spectrum sunlight. Oil dissolution significantly enhanced total organic carbon (TOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seawater. High nucleic acid (HNA) bacteria, likely the oil d

SUBMITTER: Kottuparambil S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11219460 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature