Coastal Alabama phytoplankton resilience to petrocarbon loading

Petrocarbon exposure studies were conducted on three isolated clones from coastal Alabama in the Gulf of Mexico including a diatom (Skeletonema spp.), a dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum spp.) and a chlorophyte (Tetraselmis spp.). Laboratory cultures were exposed to water accommodated fraction of crude oil (WAF), WAF that was chemically enhanced with dispersant (CEWAF), and negative control with just dispersant (Dispersant). Cellular concentrations and physiological response among treatments were measured for the duration of the exponential phase for each group relative to control treatments (no petrocarbon).