The results are in – and they’re disturbing. The water samples our research team took on August 10, 2010 from Mississippi Sound contain dispersant-related chemicals from the Gulf’s surface.
The samples contain the following toxic compounds: propylene glycol, 2-ethylhexanol, and di (propylene glycol) butyl ether in the seawater, all of which are markers for dispersant.
Our team, headed by civil engineer Marco Kaltofen, has confirmed the presence of toxic Corexit 9500A in Mississippi Sound in August. The purpose of the experiments performed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Water Quality Laboratory was to prove that we, indeed, found the chemical signature for Corexit use in Mississippi Sound. The experiments also confirmed which Corexit product had been detected. Using Gulf seawater, BP/Deepwater Horizon crude oil samples and Nalco Corexit products, we confirmed our earlier finding that Corexit 9500A dispersant was still present in Mississippi Sound in August.
These test results, obviously, have implications for the re-opening of federal waters to fishing and the safety of seafood coming out of the Gulf.
Spiking Experiment Methodology
To confirm these results, four Gulf seawater samples were spiked with 100 parts per million volume to volume Corexit dispersants, in a 1:25 Corexit/BP crude oil mix. The four spiked samples were analyzed at the same certified laboratory as the field samples, and were found to contain propylene glycol, 2-ethylhexanol, 2 butoxy ethanol and di (propylene glycol) butyl ether.
The samples spiked with Corexit 9527A also contained 2 butoxy ethanol. The samples spiked with Corexit 9500A did not contain 2 butoxy ethanol.
The samples spiked with Corexit 9500A also contained di (propylene glycol) butyl ether. The samples spiked with Corexit 9527A did not contain di (propylene glycol) butyl ether.
The August 10 Mississippi Sound sample did not contain 2 butoxy ethanol, which is the expected result if the field sample contained Corexit 9500A, rather than Corexit 9527A.
The August 10 Mississippi Sound sample did contain di (propylene glycol) butyl ether, which is also the expected result if the field sample contained Corexit 9500A, rather than Corexit 9527A.
The results of this spiking experiment confirm that our team found Corexit 9500A in Mississippi Sound on August 10th.
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