Assessment of Residual Petroleum Hydrocarbon Two Years After the M/T Solar I Oil Spill in Southern Guimaras, Central Philippines

This study investigated the residual level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sediments and shellfishes from some heavily impacted areas of Southern Guimaras, Central Philippines two years after the M/T Solar I oil spill. Chemical analysis revealed that the PAH is still within detectable level in some heavily impacted areas of TINMAR and Luzaran in Southern Guimaras, although there was a significant decrease in total PAH of coastal sediments from (3 – 25 ppm) one year after the oil spill to (1 ppb - 17 ppm) two years. However, the total PAH in mangrove surface sediments of TINMAR is relatively lower (