Application of Oil Fingerprinting Method to Identify Source of Mystery Oil Stranded on the spill site over one year after the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill

Abstract

In April 2009, mystery oils were stranded Mallipo beach of Taean and Ueui-do of Shinan, which can evoke debate regarding spill sources, further cleanup, and compensation issues. Mallipo beach located near the Hebei Spirit oil spill site was heavily oiled in early December 2007, while Ueui-do located at Jeonnam Province far away from Mallipo beach was stranded small amount of emulsified and (or) tar from the Hebei Spirit in the end of December 2007. However, liquid type crude oils were stranded again on Mallipo beach and concurrently highly weathered oils were re-stranded on Ueui-do shoreline sixteen months after the spill. Stranded oil samples in Mallipo and in Ueui-do were analyzed and their fingerprints were compared with crude oils and weathered oils from the Hebei Spirit. European Committee for Standardization protocol was used for diagnosis. GC/FID screening revealed that one sample in Mallipo does not have typical alkane chromatogram pattern, but the other stranded oils had weathered chromatogram pattern. GC/MS fingerprint and diagnostic ratio of alkylated PAHs and biomarkers were used for further fingerprint analysis. Statistical analysis using a principal component analysis clearly indicates that mystery oils in Mallipo do not match with the oils from Hebei Spirit, while stranded oil in Ueui-do showed positive match.