USF scientists say oil droplets speckle Gulf floor

ST. PETERSBURG - USF scientists made a big announcement Tuesday after one of their research vessels returned from a two-week research mission in the Gulf. They say they found significant amounts of toxic oil sitting on the Gulf floor and it is killing sea life.

USF scientists blame not just BP’s leaking well, but the dispersants the oil giant pumped in to break it up.

The new findings from crew members aboard USF’s Weatherbird II research vessel come on the heels of a government study that says 75 percent of the oil is gone.

The researchers say more likely, the oil is in such tiny droplets that it's harder to detect. They also say it's moved farther east than originally thought.

They used a UV light to detect oil in what's known as the Desoto Canyon, 40 miles off the Panhandle. "It was very, very small droplets, and when we irradiated them, they sparkled like a constellation of stars," said Dr. David Hollander, a chemical oceanographer with USF’s College of Marine Science.

Researchers also say the toxic mix is harming marine life. "We did find that the subsurface waters appear to have a toxic response," said Dr. Hollander. "There was repression in the phytoplankton. The phytoplankton are marine plants. Those are the base of the food web."

"What we don't know is, has there been any damage to the fish larvae?" said Marine Microbiologist John Paul with USF’s College of Marine Science.

The discovery of oil settling along the Gulf floor has long-term implications. What is still unknown, scientists say, is how the oil droplets will affect fish and other sea life in the food chain.

To find out, researchers are calling for more efforts. "There should be a number of vessels and they should be on transects," according to Dean Bill Hogarth. "We need to make sure what data we collect is comparable from state to state."

Hogarth says the school is already in talks with NOAA to plan such a collaborative effort but BP needs to allocate more money. Just last week, 10-million dollars was distributed for nearly 30 projects pitched by top Florida scientists studying the oil spill.