1. Gasoline and its Effect on Coral Bleaching
An Experiment by:
Jimmy Wesman
Nauman Chandry
Joon Chung
Heather Hollembeak
Sebastian Camacho
Will Quartell

2. Experimental Objectives
Determine Gasoline’s Effect on Coral Bleaching
Determine Gasoline’s Effect on the growth of Coral in a tropical environment

3. Foundation for Experiment
Oil spills in the past have harmed wild-life tremendously
Anthropogenic Factors
Examples of gross human negligence

4. The Exxon Valdez March 24, 1989 Oil Spill in Alaska
Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound
30 million U.S. Gallons leaked from container
Exxon’s cleanup cost

5. The Amoco Haven April 11, 1991
Explosion of ship on Mediterranean Coast
One Million Barrels of Oil Burned or Dumped into Sea
Genoa, Italy and Marseilles, France are polluted
Waters are deemed uninhabitable until 2003

6. Comparison of Oil Usage

7. What Exactly Happens?
Outside stressors cause zooxanthallae to fall off
Zooxanthallae are responsible for coral’s symbiotic relationship
Oil coating a portion of the ocean prevents light from reaching the organism
Oil seepage enters coral poisoning it
Hydrocarbons are dangerous to most organisms

8. Hypothesis
Due to oil acting as an anthropogenic factor, zooxanthallae will die off and coral bleaching will occur.
This will result in withering and ultimately, death.

9. Procedures Why use 87 octane? Crude oil Different types
Levels of Refining
Less additives
Regular Grade (87 octane) gasoline will be poured at a specific concentration TBD
Growth/Death rate will be recorded
Cell counts will be done after each observation
Analyze Results
Draw conclusions based on growth/death rates of Coral in tank