Consequences of linseed oil spills in salt marsh sediments

摘要

In a simulated spill in a salt marsh, linseed oil penetrated rapidly into the sediments at a rate of 10~-7 cm~2 s~-1. The oil con- centration remained unchanged for the first month after the spill, but 60/100 of the oil disappeared for the top 30 cm after a further month. The oil adsorbed to and accumulated in the muddy sediments (top 15 cm) leading to decreased sediment permeability, pH, Eh, abundance of plant roots and infauna and to the establishment of anoxic conditions. These changes accompanied transfor- Mations in the originalfatty acid composition of the linseed oil, mainly associated with a decrease in 18:3ω3, an increase in the Other fatty acids and the presence of 'new' fatty acids.