THE BIOS PROJECT—AN UPDATE
ABSTRACT The Baffin Island Oil Spill (BIOS) Project, formally begun in March 1980, now is entering the fourth and final year of the planned field work. The primary objectives of this internationally funded project are to: (1) determine if the use of chemical dispersants in the arctic nearshore will reduce or increase the environmental effects of spilled oil, (2) assess the fate of oil, and (3) compare the relative effectiveness of other shoreline protection and cleanup techniques. This paper provides an overview of studies sponsored by the BIOS Project during the first three field seasons. Highlighted are the major oil releases which involved a total of 40 cubic meters of medium gravity crude oil. In addition, the preliminary results of the pre- and post-spill physical, chemical, and biological studies are presented. The physical program studies predicted the proper time and location for the oil releases and monitored the subsequent physical fate and behavior of the oil. The chemical program studies monitored the pre- and post-spill hydrocarbon levels in the water, sediments, and tissue of selected macrobenthic species, and also the environmental chemistry of the study area. The biological program studies to date have characterized the macrobenthic flora and fauna, the microorganisms, and the shorter-term effects of the oil releases on the subtidal biota. The potential ramifications of the BIOS Project's results on future oil spill countermeasure strategies are discussed.