Insights from barium variability in a Siderastrea siderea coral in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Journal
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Journal Volume
173
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
Coral Ba/Ca is a proxy for seawater barium concentration that varies with upwelling, terrigenous input, and marine productivity whereas coral Sr/Ca varies with temperature. We examine monthly coral Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca before and during offshore oil exploration in a Siderastrea siderea coral from West Flower Garden Bank located on the continental shelf edge in the Gulf of Mexico. Coral Ba/Ca variations lack pulses driven by upwelling or river outflow and are not in sync with coral Sr/Ca that exhibit a different seasonal pattern. Seasonal variations in chlorophyll-a concentration negatively correlate with coral Ba/Ca explaining 25% of that variability. A significant increase in mean coral Ba/Ca of 1.76 μmol/mol between 1931–1944 and 1976–2004 corresponds to the increase in the United States barite production and consumption primarily used in offshore oil drilling, which escalated in the 1970s, suggesting oil drilling operations are increasing seawater Ba concentration in the Gulf of Mexico. ? 2021 The Authors
Subjects
Barite
Coral Ba/Ca
Coral Sr/Ca
Drilling mud
Flower Garden Banks
Productivity
Barium
Infill drilling
Offshore drilling
Offshore oil well production
Offshore oil wells
Seawater
Barium concentrations
Continental shelfs
Coral ba/ca
Coral sr/ca
Flower garden bank
Gulf of Mexico
Marine productivity
Offshore oil exploration
Shelf edges
Terrigenous inputs
barium
calcium
chlorophyll
strontium
sea water
barite
chlorophyll a
coral
marine pollution
mud
seasonal variation
Article
concentration (parameter)
environmental temperature
geochemistry
geographic distribution
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
measurement accuracy
measurement precision
nonhuman
offshore oil industry
reproducibility
Siderastrea siderea
animal
Anthozoa
coral reef
river
Atlantic Ocean
United States
Animals
Coral Reefs
Rivers
Type
journal article