Napthalenes, Phenanthrenes, and Chrysenes in Northwest Florida Beach Sand, Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties in Florida, 5-3-2010 to 9-12-2011.

Samples of surf zone beach sand were collected to track the occurrence and degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on beaches of the West Florida Panhandle. Composite samples were air dried and extracted by standard procedures for analysis of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and chrysene and their 1-3 alkylated forms by GC/MS SIM. Levels were higher after beach oiling, and rapidly decreased to background levels.