Stable oxygen and carbon isotope profile in oysters shells from the Alabama coast that may have been exposed to oil

Oyster shells that were potentially exposed to oil from the BP spill were analyzed across ontogeny for stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes. It was hoped the profiles could be used to calculate growth rates to better interpret data produced by collaborators in other components of the overall project. The isotope profiles did record evidence of oyster growth, but the data were not determined to be necessary once collaborators found the most of these shells were not contaminated.