Table 3-4. Estimated oil concentrations per cubic centimeters of wet 

 sediment samples collected on the Endeavor 004 cruise 



light petroleum fraction found in the water column and the lighter components 

 of the Argo Merchant oil. However, since representative samples of the 

 original cargo of the tanker are not yet available, the December 19 slick 

 sample collected by Mattson and Gait will be used in the interim. 



Bottom photographs taken by the USCGC Evergreen indicate a clean bottom, 

 which supports the sediment screening results for the samples collected on 

 the Evergreen, and Delaware II 76-13 and 77-1 cruises. 



Analyses of sediment samples collected in the area around the bow sec- 

 tion of the Argo Merchant show considerable levels of oil from the tanker, 

 and since these levels have been found only in this vicinity it is reasonable 

 to infer that residual oil remaining in the bow section was imparted to the 

 sediment as the bow drifted along the bottom toward deeper water. All sedi- 

 ment screening results to date are summarized in Tables 3-4 and 3-5, which 

 indicate a moderate degree of PHC contamination throughout the area. An 

 indication of Argo Merchant oil found in B-15 grabs 2 and 3 from Endeavor 

 cruise 004 has been noted and is being investigated. The presence of Argo 

 Merchant oil shown in Figure 3-6, can best be explained at present by the 

 bottom transport of suspended oil sediments. Bottom currents in December and 

 January in the area are 10 centimeters per second (Bumpus, 1973), which is 

 sufficient to keep sand (grain sizes from 0.125 to 0.75 mm), the primary 



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