Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination along oil tanker routes in the Arabian Sea

Abstract

Concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater from the oil tanker route region between 0-25 N and 45-75 E were estimated using UV-absorbance and fluoroscence techniques. Concentrations in surface waters averaged 9.2 ± 1.18 <i>µ</i>g l^-1 and in waters from 10 and 20 m averaged 3.9 ± 0.59 and 1.8 ± 0.4 <i>µ</i>g l^-1 respectively. No significant concentrations could be detected in deeper waters. There was considerable variability in the concentrations suggesting that the distribution of oil in seawater is quite patchy especially in surface waters.