Spatial and temporal variation of crude oil residues in continental shelf waters offshore western Florida

"A two-year study of pelagic tar in the eastern Gulf of Mexico has been conducted ... In general, results obtained during Year 2 confirmed and expanded the findings of Year 1. Surface concentrations of pelagic tar (expressed as the toluene extractable lipid) ranged from 0 to 20.81 mg m⁻₂ during Year 2 ... Pelagic tar found in the eastern Gulf of Mexico is primarily associated with the Gulf Loop Current. The overall two-year average concentration of pelagic tar found off the continental shelf ... was 1.37 mg m⁻₂ while the average on-shelf concentration ... was 0.10 mg m⁻₂. Thus, continental shelf areas around the eastern Gulf of Mexico appear to be quite clean with respect to pelagic tar ... "p.i. 1982 Funding: Supported by the Florida Dept. of Natural Resources; contract number: 34014; Funding: Supported by the Coastal Energy Impact Program, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Florida Dept. of Community Affairs; grant number: 82-CE-CW-13-00-05-001; NOS (National Ocean Service) Library Public Domain 1937