GULF-OF-MEXICO OFFSHORE OPERATIONS MONITORING EXPERIMENT (GOOMEX), PHASE-I - SUBLETHAL RESPONSES TO CONTAMINANT EXPOSURE - INTRODUCTION ANDOVERVIEW

The Gulf of Mexico Offshore Operations Monitoring Experiment (GOOMEX) is a three-phase study to test and evaluate a range of biological, bio chemical, and chemical methodologies to detect and assess chronic subl ethal biological impacts in the vicinity of long-duration activities a ssociated with oil and gas exploration and production. A chronic impac t is defined as an effect on the biota caused by exposure to the long- term accumulation of chemicals in the environment. The basic program, comprising four field activities over a 2-yr period, was designed to d etect nearfield impacts and contaminant gradients extending out from e ach site. Five test sites were evaluated and three selected as most ap propriate for long-term study: MU-A85, MAI-686, and HI-A389. The sampl ing design included a radial pattern with stations at 30-50, 100, 200, 500, and 3000 m distance and employed a dose-response model to test t he hypotheses that biological, chemical, and biochemical variations ar e due to platform-derived contaminants. Study components included cont aminant (trace metals and hydrocarbons) analysis in sediments, pore wa ters, and biological tissues; assemblage analysis of benthic meiofauna , infauna, and epifauna, assessment of community health based on Life history and reproduction studies; and the induction of detoxification responses.