Application of multivariate data analysis for assessing the early fate of petrogenic compounds in the marine environment following the Baltic Carrier oil spill

Multivariate techniques have only rarely been used when considering the fate of complex chemical mixtures in the environment. In this article, a multivariate decomposition method (principal component analysis) has been applied together with multivariate methods to assess the early fate of petrogenic compounds in the marine environment following the Baltic Carrier oil spill, Grphinsund, Denmark, March 29, 2001. The chemical composition of oil on the beach has changed considerably 138 days after the accident. Both evaporation and degradation are found and the introduction of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria in a laboratory experiment increased the degradation of both PACs and aliphatic compounds. The application of principal component analysis shows promising results, calling for further use of multivariate decomposition or even regression techniques in fate studies.