• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2003

Understanding the seawater infiltration into tidal flat sediments is very important, because it is significantly correlated with the supply of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and organic matter to benthic organisms for survival. However oil blocks interstitial spaces of sediments, reduces seawater infiltration and results in the decrease in oxygen, nutrients and other food supply to benthic communities. The penetration depth of the stranded oil into the sediments is one of the most significant information to know the effect of spilled oil on biological communities and to set up a cleaning method. So we initiated this study to quantify the penetration behavior of spilled oil and to evaluate the influence of the penetrated oil on seawater infiltration in tidal flat environment and its ecological implications. The penetration depth of the crude oil into the tidal flat sediments was two times deeper than that of the fuel oil C, and the depth was significantly affected by stranded oil volume. However, the penetration depth of stranded oil was abruptly dropped at first falling tide but not significantly fluctuated after that. Moreover, hydrocarbon concentration showed the highest within the upper 2 cm. Seawater infiltration was decreased in proportion to the stranded oil volume. The seawater infiltration was more affected by the penetrated fuel oil C about 1.7 times than the crude oil, because the interstitial spaces of the top of sediments were more cleared by the fuel oil C. Therefore, quick cleaning actions for penetrated oil will be necessary for recovery of seawater infiltration because the seawater contains oxygen and nutrients necessary for the survival of benthic organisms in tidal flat.