Additional AT13387 fisheries re-openings occurred on July 22, 29, 30, August 7, 20, 27, September 2, 3, 21, October 1, 5, 15, 22, and November 15. This study examines oil concentrations through this period. PAHs often comprise up to 10% of the organic compounds in crude oil and provide insight into the general distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment associated with a spill (Vinas et al., 2010). Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from crude oil can have

deleterious effects on human health. Although hydrophobic, many of these low molecular weight (LMW) compounds are soluble in seawater. In humans, exposure pathways include skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion (Fingas, 2000). These compounds are lipophilic and are readily taken

up by human tissues (Cheng et al., 2010) (e.g. liver, kidneys, and fat) and can be toxic to the immune and nervous systems. Long-term risks of exposure Enzalutamide chemical structure to these compounds, (e.g. benzene) include cancer/leukemia (Rinsky et al., 1987 and Schnatter et al., 2005). Gohlke et al. (2011) have reviewed this spill in the context of previous large-scale oil spills and protocols utilized to assess levels of concern concerning PAHs as well as metals associated with such spills. They note that current protocols need to be expanded and extended in time to insure that risks are reduced to acceptable levels. They also claim that PAHs concentrations from the DWH spill are at or below the values from previous spills. Other investigators Loperamide claim, however, that low levels of PAHS at the surface may be due to the use of Corexit® dispersant, which draws the crude oil back into the water (Kaltofen, 2012). The reader is referred to this paper for a complete review of this topic. We believe that, in order to better understand the environmental

impacts of a spill of this magnitude on the dynamic GOM ecosystem, one needs to consider hydrocarbon contamination at various levels in the ecosystem on a large geographic scale. In this study, we focused on petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment, seawater, and marine biota, including several seafood species. In order to determine the geographic distribution of the oil, we focused on the following classes of compounds as proxies: Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH, C-8 to C-40); total Polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); C3-naphthalenes, C2-phenanthrenes/anthracenes; C4-phenanthrenes/anthracenes, and C1-benzo(a)anthracenes/chrysenes. We also considered concentrations in another 8 compounds: C-2 dibenzothiophenes, C-3 dibenzothiophenes, C-4 dibenzothiophenes, C-2 naphthalenes, C-4 napthalenes, C-3 fluorenes, C1-phenanthrenes/anthracenes, and C2 sub’d B(a)/chrysenes. These classes have higher molecular weights than VOCs, although they can be volatile or semi-volatile, and can be persistent in the environment.