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Note to Teachers 

Chemistry in the Gulf of Mexico is a teacher’s instructional guide to accompany the poster of the 

same title. In this guide, you will find information that relates principles from a basic chemistry 

class to actual processes occurring in the ocean. This guide will focus on four of these 

processes. The information and activities are intended for use at the 11-12 grade levels. 

Additional topics and resources are included at the end of the guide. 

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has funded numerous scientific studies to understand 

better the oceanographic processes in the Gulf of Mexico. This Teacher’s Companion contains 

information that was gathered during these studies. The MMS is the Federal agency that 

regulates oil and gas activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. To learn more about the 

MMS, please visit our website at www.mms.gov. 

Author: Mary C. Boatman Graphics: Allan Linker 

Editors: Michael Dorner 

Deborah Miller

Acknowledgments: We wish to thank Ranell Troxler, a sixth grade teacher in St. 

Charles Parish, for her review of this document.

 

Where to get the Poster and Teacher’s 

Companion 

Copies of the poster and Teacher’s Companion may be obtained from the Public Information 

Office (MS 5034) at the following address: 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 

Public Information Office (MS 5034) 

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 

Telephone Number: (504) 736-2519 or 

 1-800-200-GULF 
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Table of Contents Page Number 

About This Lesson 3 

Where It Fits into the Curriculum 3 

 Objectives for Students 4 

 Materials for Students 4 

What is Chemical Oceanography? 5 

Chemical Oceanography in the Gulf of Mexico 5 

 

 Temperature and Salinity Plots 6 

Thermocline 6 

 Suspended Sediments 6 

Nutrients 6 

Phytoplankton 7 

Detrital Rain 7 

 Hypoxia 7 

Currents, Eddies, and Upwelling - The Eddy Graveyard 8 

Naturally Occurring Oil Seeps 8 

Barite Chimneys 8 

Gas Hydrates and Chemosynthetic Communities 9 

Naturally Occurring Brine Pools 9 

Vocabulary 10 

Suggested Topics for Term Papers 11 

Activities 

1. Why is the Sea Salty? 12 

2. Barite Chimneys – A Case Study of Precipitation 14 

3. Hypoxia 16 

Internet Activity: Gas Hydrates 18 

Supplementary Resources 19 

References 20 

Critique of Instructional Resources for Chemistry in the Gulf of Mexico 21 
About This Lesson 

This lesson is intended to address interesting chemical processes occurring in the Gulf of 

Mexico. The information and activities are related to chemical principles learned in an 

introductory chemistry class for grades 11-12. It is beyond the scope of this lesson to cover 

every topic in detail. Therefore, selected references and Internet sites are listed at the end for 

further investigation and understanding. You can also access this Teacher’s Resource on line at 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/lagniapp/lagniapp.html. 

Where It Fits into the Curriculum 

Topics: This lesson could be used to extend basic chemistry units to the marine environment. It 

can also be used as part of an oceanography or earth sciences curriculum. Some material is 

also applicable to environmental science and understanding the consequences of pollution. 

Standards: The material meets the content standards for grades 9-12 as defined by National 

Science Education Content Standards of the National Science Teachers Association. The 

following content standards apply: 

Science as Inquiry 

• Abilities Necessary to do Scientific Inquiry 

Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigation 

• Understandings about Scientific Inquiry 

 Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or designed systems function. 

 Scientists conduct investigations for a wide variety of reasons. 

Physical Science 

• Structure and Properties of Matter 

A compound is formed when two or more kinds of atoms bind together chemically. 

• Chemical Reactions 

 Chemical reactions occur all around us. 

 Light can initiate many chemical reactions such as photosynthesis. 

Life Science 

• The Interdependence of Organisms 

The atoms and molecules on earth cycle among the living and nonliving components of 

the biosphere. 

Earth and Space Sciences 

• Geochemical Cycles 

The earth is a system containing essentially a fixed amount of each stable 

chemical atom or element. Each element can exist in several different chemical 

reservoirs, and moves among the reservoirs in the solid earth, ocean, atmosphere, 

and organisms as part of geochemical cycles. 

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Science in Personal and Social Perspectives 

• Environmental Quality 

Natural ecosystems provide an array of basic processes that affect humans. 

Those processes include maintenance of the quality of the atmosphere, 

generation of soils, control of the hydrologic cycle, disposal of wastes, and 

recycling of nutrients. Humans are changing many of these basic processes, and 

the changes may be detrimental to humans. 

Objectives for Students 

1) To understand chemical processes that are occurring in the marine environment. 

2) To apply basic chemical principles in the marine environment. 

3) To learn how human activity can impact the marine environment. 

4) To propose hypotheses and design experiments. 

Materials for Students 

Some of the pages can be photocopied and distributed to the students as an evaluation. The 

second activity involves chemicals and can either be done as a demonstration or in work groups. 

The Internet activity requires access by the students to the Internet. Sites containing all the 

necessary information are given. 

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What is Chemical Oceanography? 

Chemical Oceanography is the study of chemical processes that occur in the ocean and at the 

seafloor. It includes the effects of the physical, geological, and biological processes on the 

chemistry of the ocean. Chemical oceanographers are also interested in the distribution of 

chemical compounds of major and trace chemical components. The major components include 

the dissolved atoms and molecules that make the sea salty, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, 

and sulfate. Minor components include nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates, trace organic 

compounds, and trace metals. Lead, copper, mercury, and iron are examples of trace metals 

found in the sea. Actually, almost all of the elements in the periodic table are present in 

seawater! The interactions between the sun’s energy, atmospheric compounds, dissolved and 

suspended oceanic organic and inorganic material, sea life, and the seafloor are studied. The 

impact on oceanic chemistry of both natural substances (such as natural seafloor petroleum 

seeps) and manmade material (such as waste or pollution) are also investigated. 

Chemical Oceanography in the Gulf of 

Mexico 

The Gulf of Mexico is considered a marginal 

sea because it is connected to the major 

oceans but is located on the margin. 

Processes that occur in the major oceans 

also occur here. The Mississippi River, 

which drains 45 percent of the contiguous 

United States, is a major source of 

freshwater, nutrients, and pollutants for the 

Gulf. The region is mixed by eddies or 

“rings” that form from the Loop Current. The 

Gulf also has some features that are not 

found everywhere. The massive salt that 

underlies the Gulf leaks into depressions 

and forms brine pools. A large area of 

hypoxia forms along the Louisiana coast 

each summer as a result of input from the 

Mississippi River. Gas hydrates are found at 

the seafloor in some areas of the Gulf, the 

only place where this is known to occur. 

Unusual barite deposits that form chimneys 

are also not found anywhere else. Oil seeps 

are common in the deep Gulf and result in 

slicks observed from satellites. These 

features are shown on the poster and 

discussed in the following pages. The MMS 

is interested in understanding the chemistry 

of the Gulf of Mexico to evaluate the effects 

of oil and gas production on the natural 

system.

Gulf Facts: 

Salinity?

Central Gulf: 35.6 

Orca Basin brine: >250 

Water Volume? 

3.35 million cubic km 

Average Surface Water 

Temperature?

Summer: 84EF/29EC 

Winter: 70EF/22EC 

Deepest Part? 

Sigsbee Deep: 4,384 m 

Total Area? 

1.5 million square km

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Temperature and Salinity Plots 

Oceanographers plot the temperature and salinity values versus depth to gain an understanding 

of the ocean structure. An example is shown at the center of the poster. The plots are used to 

identify the thermocline and also can be used to understand the movement of water in the water 

column. Temperature and salinity affect the density of the water. Warm freshwater is less dense 

than cold saltwater. When freshwater from rivers, such as the Mississippi, enters the ocean, the 

freshwater forms a layer on the surface. In the case of the Mississippi, two-thirds of the water 

moves west along the Louisiana coast while one-third moves to the east. Eventually, wind and 

currents mix the freshwater with the saltwater. 

Thermocline 

The thermocline is defined as the depth range over which the temperature decreases rapidly with 

depth. This zone generally occurs between 300 and 1000 m, but it varies with latitude. The 

thermocline divides the ocean into a warm surface layer heated by the sun and a cold, deep layer 

that has a fairly constant global temperature of 4-4.5oC. The Gulf of Mexico is no different from 

the major oceans. The graph at the center of the poster is a representative plot of temperature 

vs. depth. The thermocline is identified as a layer, although the plot does not extend to the 

coldest and deepest water. 

Suspended Sediments 

Along with water and nutrients, the Mississippi River also transports a tremendous amount of 

sediment from the erosion of the land, about one million cubic yards per day. The Mississippi 

drains approximately one-third of the contiguous United States. The sediment contributes to the 

formation of the delta and is also carried along shore to the east and the west. Most of the load is 

carried to the west and is a source of the “muddy” water observed by beach goers along the 

Louisiana and Texas coasts. Some of the sediment is also transported to the east. Other rivers 

flowing into the Gulf contribute sediment as well. The suspended load is measured as turbidity, 

which is determined by the attenuation of a light beam passed through a water sample. 

Nutrients

Nutrients are supplied to the ocean from rivers, land runoff, atmospheric deposition, and recycling 

of living material already in the ocean. The primary nutrients in ocean waters are nitrate, nitrite, 

phosphate, silicate, ammonia, and iron. The Mississippi River is the primary source of nutrients 

to the Gulf of Mexico. Within ocean waters, plants and animals living at the surface die and sink 

to the bottom as detrital rain. While they sink, bacteria in the ocean break down the organic 

matter into basic chemical components, which form nutrients. The deepwater becomes enriched 

in these nutrients. The nutrient-rich deepwater can be returned to the surface by upwelling. 

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Phytoplankton 

Tiny, single-celled plants or phytoplankton are at the base of the food chain in the ocean. Like all 

plants, they need light and, therefore, are found very near the surface. They also need nutrients 

such as nitrates (NO3

-

) and phosphates (PO4

3-) to grow. When large amounts of nutrients enter 

the ocean in a short period of time, the phytoplankton respond with rapid growth and 

multiplication, called a “bloom.” The plankton continue to bloom until all the nutrients are gone. 

The phytoplankton then die and sink to the bottom as a part of the detrital rain. 

Detrital Rain 

Along with the phytoplankton, tiny animals or zooplankton live in the water column of the ocean. 

When these plants and animals die, their body parts sink to the bottom. This sinking material is 

known as detrital rain. As the detritus sinks, it is eaten by bacteria and degraded into nitrates, 

phosphates, and other nutrients, as well as organic molecules. As the degradation occurs, 

oxygen is consumed. Often the detrital rain settles in the region of the thermocline, where the 

density of the water increases with the decreasing temperature. As a result, the thermocline is a 

region where there is low oxygen. 

Off the coast of Louisiana, nutrients from the Mississippi feed the phytoplankton and cause 

tremendous growth. When all these tiny plants die, the detrital rain increases, bringing large 

volumes of organic matter to the seafloor. The result is a depletion in oxygen and hypoxic (low 

oxygen) conditions. 

Hypoxia 

The rivers bring nutrients and sediments to the ocean from the erosion of land, land-derived 

organic matter, and runoff from farmland and cities. The rivers also bring pollutants from the 

developed areas of their drainage basins. The increased nutrients are a great source of food for 

plants (phytoplankton) that live in the surface of the ocean. Once the food supply is used up, 

these plants die and sink to the bottom. Degradation of this plant material results in the depletion 

of oxygen and the creation of a situation known as hypoxia. Hypoxia occurs when the dissolved 

oxygen concentration of water decreases to below 2 milligrams/liter. Normally, the oxygen 

concentration in the water is between 5 and 8 milligrams/liter. Hypoxia is of interest because 

shrimp, crabs, and fish that live in the ocean need oxygen to survive just as we need to breathe 

the air. The shrimp, crabs, and fish are a major source of commercial fisheries and must leave 

the area of hypoxia. Unfortunately, some animals cannot leave the area and die. These animals 

are also a food source for some species of commercial fish, thus affecting this resource. 

In the Gulf of Mexico, the hypoxia has extended all the way to Freeport, Texas, although in most 

years it extends to the Texas-Louisiana border. This process occurs during the summer, when a 

layer of warm freshwater floats on top of a layer of cold water and prevents the water from mixing 

and bringing oxygen from the surface to depth. During the winter, the cold air cools the surface 

water and allows the entire water column to be mixed. 

(CH2)103(NH3)16(H3PO4) + 135 O2 ⇒103 CO2 + 119 H2O + 16HNO3 + H3PO4

This equation demonstrates how the breakdown of algae to nutrients consumes oxygen. 

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Currents, Eddies, and Upwelling – The 

Eddy Graveyard 

The currents, or movement of water, affect the distribution of chemicals, especially nutrients, in 

the Gulf of Mexico. Along the coast, the circulation patterns distribute sediments and pollutants, 

as well as nutrients. The primary current is the Loop Current, which enters the Gulf through the 

Yucatan Channel between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba and exits through the Straits of 

Florida, where it feeds the Gulf Stream. While the current is in the Gulf, eddies split off from the 

Loop Current and form spinning rings that move into the western Gulf. Eventually, these rings 

slow down and can no longer be distinguished from the surrounding water. The region where the 

rings “disappear” is known as the eddy graveyard. These circulating rings are believed to cause 

exchange of water from the surface to the deep. 

Eddies and winds can pull water away from the coastline. To replace this water, deep, nutrientrich water is drawn to the surface in a process called upwelling. The deepwater is enriched in 

nutrients like nitrate and phosphate from the degradation of detrital rain. Several regions in the 

Gulf are affected by upwelling water. For example, in the east, water moves up the DeSoto 

Canyon towards Mobile, Alabama. 

Naturally Occurring Oil Seeps 

Oil is not only found deep below the Earth’s surface; some of it seeps into Gulf waters through 

cracks and fissures in the seafloor. Oil seeps can cause natural slicks at the surface and are 

responsible for much of the tar found on beaches. The hydrocarbons (oil) also provide a source 

of chemical energy that supports a lush habitat of mussels, worms, crustaceans, and fish. 

The oil slicks formed by these natural seeps can be used as indicators of oil deposits below the 

seafloor. NASA is using satellite images of the sea surface to locate and track the oil slicks. 

The sea surface information can then be used to locate the oil seeps at the seafloor. 

The fauna that live around the oil seeps are very similar to those found near hydrothermal vents 

in the Pacific Ocean in 1979. The larger creatures are supported by a symbiotic relationship with 

bacteria, where the bacteria are living within the animals and use energy from the oxidation of 

reduced compounds such as hydrogen sulfide. The fauna can also plug the cracks and fissures 

through the precipitation of calcium carbonate, a metabolic by-product, thus trapping the oil below 

the surface. 

Barite Chimneys 

Along with hydrocarbon seeps, small chimney-like structures have been discovered on the 

seafloor. These structures are formed from a mineral called barite (BaSO4). The barium (Ba+2) 

comes from dissolving Jurassic salt domes below the seafloor. The salt migrates towards the 

seafloor through cracks in the sediment and escapes. Once the barium comes in contact with 

the sulfate-rich (SO4

-2) seawater, barium sulfate precipitates to form chimneys. The structures 

are 10-30 cm and consist of tiny crystal rosettes of barite that link together to form long chains of 

the mineral. 

Ba+2 + SO4

-2 ⇒ BaSO4

This equation demonstrates the process that forms ocean-floor barite (barium sulfate) chimneys. 

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Gas Hydrates and Chemosynthetic 

Communities 

Gas hydrate is an ice-like substance that forms by inclusion of hydrocarbon molecules into a 

lattice of water molecules under the conditions of low temperature and high pressure. In ocean 

sediments, gas hydrates are found at water depths greater than 300-500 m and are detected by 

seismic reflection data. The molecules trapped in the lattice structure can be methane, carbon 

dioxide, ethane, butane, and even isopropane. 

Gas hydrates are of interest for several reasons. They are a potential energy resource, they can 

be hazards to seafloor structures, and they may play a role in climate change. As a potential 

energy resource, it has been estimated that gas hydrates are a reservoir of organic carbon 

greater than twice all the known oil and gas resources. Gas hydrates are also metastable; i.e., 

they can return to the water and gas that originally formed the ice as a result of only small 

changes in the surrounding temperature and pressure conditions. When gas hydrates dissociate, 

they potentially cause underwater subsidence or landslides. An oil platform or pipeline located 

on top of gas hydrate formations that suddenly “melted” could collapse into the sea or break 

apart. Further, this sudden dissociation of gas hydrate could result in the release of large 

quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas, which is partially responsible for global warming. 

Additionally, gas hydrates support small microcosms known as chemosynthetic communities. 

These animals form a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that use chemicals rather than light to 

generate food. Tube worms and mussels are the primary inhabitants of these communities. 

Naturally Occurring Brine Pools 

Below the Gulf of Mexico is a layer of salt that was formed during the Jurassic time period. The 

salt bed structure is deformed by the addition of sediments into the Gulf basin. The deformations 

take the shape of domes of salt. The displacement of the salt domes results in cracks and 

fissures in the overlying sediment. Sometimes, the salt migrates to the surface and creates 

naturally occurring, dense brine pools in topographic depressions along the seafloor of the Gulf of 

Mexico. Some of these brine pools have mussels that live around them. 

One example of a brine pool is Orca Basin. Discovered in the 1970's, this basin has been 

extensively studied because of its unique characteristics. The brine is approximately seven times 

as salty as seawater. Nothing can live within the brine and the pool acts like a trap for sediment 

and organic matter falling from the ocean’s surface; the result is a well-preserved record of this 

material. 

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Vocabulary 

Accrete - The process by which inorganic bodies grow larger by the addition of fresh material to 

the outer surface. 

Chemosynthetic - the ability to synthesize organic compounds by energy derived from chemical 

reactions. 

Degradation - the reduction in complexity of a chemical compound. 

Detrital - (1) nonliving; (2) from land.

Hypothesis - a tentative assumption that is tested through observation and experimentation. 

Metastable – having a slight margin of stability. 

Phytoplankton - Single-celled plants that have weak swimming ability. 

Turbidity - a cloud of suspended material. 

Upwelling - to move or flow upward. 

Zooplankton - the animal and protozoan members of the plankton.

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Suggested Topics for Term Papers

Precipitation/Dissolution – carbonates, barite 

Adsorption – metals adsorb onto settling particles 

Organic compounds in a polar solvent 

Trace metals – iron as a nutrient 

Respiration – what are the processes, products of reaction? 

Degradation- breakdown of organic matter 

Water quality - define 

pH – seawater is buffered by the carbonate system 

Ions – ionic strength, dissolved solids, brines 

Oxygen – dissolved gases in seawater 

Solids – barite chimneys, suspended sediments 

Oxidation-reduction – sediment reactions 

Constancy of composition – chemical equilibrium 

Electrochemical cells – seawater conducting electricity 

Periodic table – everything in seawater except... 

Photosynthesis 

Hydrocarbon seeps – compare natural input to oil spills 

Remote sensing – use of satellites to study oceans 

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Activity 1 

Why is the Sea Salty? 

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to understand the composition of seawater, the sources 

of the material, and balances in nature. 

Materials: Graph paper 

Major dissolved constituents in seawater with a chlorinity of 19 ‰ 

and a salinity of 34.32 ‰. 

Dissolved substance Ion or 

compound 

Concentration 

(grams per 

kilogram) 

Percent by

weight 

Chloride Cl

- 18.980 55.04

Sodium Na+ 10.556 30.61

Sulfate SO4

2- 2.649 7.68

Magnesium Mg2+ 1.272 3.69

Calcium Ca2+ 0.400 1.16

Potassium K+ 0.380 1.10

Bicarbonate HCO3

- 0.14 0.41

Bromide Br

- 0.065 0.19

Boric Acid H3BO3 0.026 0.07

Strontium Sr

2+ 0.013 0.04

Fluoride F- 0.001 0.0

Totals 34.482 99.99

Class Discussion: 

Discuss the chemical definition of a salt. Include in the discussion the concept of ions and 

precipitation of salts. 

Where do the salts come from? 

How do they get to the ocean? 

What processes increase salinity? 

What processes decrease salinity? 

How would the weather conditions this past spring affect salinity? 

Seawater has a fairly constant salinity; why might this be? 

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Given the following table, have the class plot salinity vs. depth using the salinity values in column 

two. Put the salinity units on the x-axis across the top and depth on the y-axis, increasing from 

top to bottom. See the poster for an example of how to plot the depth. 

Depth 

(meters) 

Salinity - #1 

(parts per thousand) 

Salinity - #2 

(parts per thousand) 

0 37.2 10.5

20 36.8 20.5

50 35.9 32.5

100 34.9 33.8

200 34.8 34.9

500 34.5 35.2

1000 34.9 34.9

Describe the distribution of salinity with increasing depth. 

What might be causing the variations at the surface? 

Why is the salinity constant at depth? 

Plot the salinity from column three on the same sheet of paper but with a different color pencil. 

What is the difference between the two plots? 

What process is responsible for the salinity values in the surface water? 

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Activity 2 

Barite Chimneys – A Case Study of 

Precipitation 

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to understand saturation, precipitation, and how 

deposits are formed in the ocean. 

Materials: 

 Water 

 Barium chloride 

 Calcium sulfate 

 2 – 1 liter flasks 

1 – 1 liter beaker 

 Stir bar 

Class Discussion: 

Discuss the process of precipitation. 

What is chemical equilibrium? 

What is saturation? 

How can the ocean become saturated in a salt? 

Why does accretion occur? 

Why don’t the deposits dissolve again? 

Demonstrate the Precipitation of Barium Sulfate: 

In a flask, dissolve 2 g of barium chloride in one liter of water. In a second flask, dissolve 0.5 g of 

calcium sulfate. Pour some of the barium chloride solution into a beaker; add the calcium sulfate 

solution. A white cloud of barium sulfate will appear. 

Suggested Hypothesis (solution for question 5 on the next page): 

Fluids rich in barium from below the seafloor escape through cracks, where the barium 

precipitates with the sulfate in seawater. 

Test the hypothesis: 

Prepare artificial seawater. In two separate beakers, add the barium chloride solution to one 

beaker and the calcium sulfate solution to the other. The barium chloride/seawater mixture 

should result in the formation of a precipitate of barium sulfate. This result supports the 

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hypothesis that the barium comes from some other source and reacts with the sulfate in the 

seawater. 

1. Write the equation for the precipitation of barium sulfate. 

2. What ions are involved in this reaction? 

3. What is the oxidation state of each ion? 

4. How do you think chimneys are formed? Draw a diagram to illustrate the process. 

5. Develop a hypothesis for how the chimneys are formed. How would you test your 

hypothesis? 

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Activity 3 

Hypoxia 

Purpose: To understand the processes that result in hypoxia and the effects of humans on the 

environment. To understand the concept of stakeholders and that solutions are a result of 

compromise. 

Note: This activity involves role playing by the students. The activity will not be successful if it is 

presented that any one stakeholder is more in the right than others. All have their perspectives 

that are valid. 

This activity requires that the students research their roles and understand the position. The 

activity may take several weeks to complete. 

The Scenario: A panel is convened that must decide what to do about the hypoxia that occurs in 

the Gulf of Mexico, if anything. The stakeholders include Federal and State governments, 

scientists, farmers, shrimpers, oil industry, and fishermen. Citizens, the media, environmental 

groups, and fertilizer industry can be included. The stakeholders form both the panel that will 

decide and the people that will present their viewpoint to the panel. Once all viewpoints have 

been heard, the panel will deliberate and present their decision to everyone. 

The Roles: 

The Panel Members: The panel members would be government officials and scientists who 

must submit a report to the President recommending the action to be taken. They should 

represent states along the Mississippi River, in particular Louisiana, Mississippi, Kansas, and 

Minnesota. The Federal government should be represented with someone from the 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA). The scientists are described below. The students should learn about the State or 

agency they represent and the position of the State or agency on the issue. This information is 

readily available on the web by searching for “Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia.” 

Scientists: The scientists must understand the research and the problem. They should be able 

to describe how hypoxia is formed, where it is found, and what factors control it. At least one 

scientist should be on the panel making the decision. The students should use recent scientific 

literature to gain an understanding of the problem. 

Farmers: The farmers grow the food that feeds the nation; they also use the fertilizer that is 

thought to be a major contributor to the hypoxia. Students who are playing farmers must 

understand the use of fertilizer for crops, the amount of food produced by the farmers, and their 

position on using fertilizer. Information about the farmers’ position can be found on the web. 

Shrimpers: The shrimpers rely on the Gulf shrimp for their livelihood. The hypoxia drives the 

shrimp into other areas. An opportunity to hear the shrimpers’ point of view is available at the 

website: http://www.smm.org/ under Mississippi River Tour and the Dead Zone. Information about 

the shrimpers’ viewpoints can also be found at other websites. 

Oil Industry: The oil industry, because of its many platforms off the coast of Louisiana, was once 

accused of being responsible for contributing to the formation of the area of hypoxia. The 

students should learn about the various platforms and the reasons that this charge may not be 

true from the http://www.mms.gomr.gov website. Research was conducted to demonstrate that 

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the platforms are not a contributor, but the public and other stakeholders may wish to point the 

finger at the oil industry and away from themselves. 

Fishermen: The Gulf Coast region is the primary source of fisheries for the United States. 

Besides shrimp, there are many other commercial species of fish. Recreational fishermen find 

the Gulf of Mexico an excellent place for the sport. The hypoxia affects where and when they 

can fish. The students can represent fishermen, either commercial or recreational, and how the 

hypoxia inconveniences them. They can read about fishing along the Gulf in many popular 

magazines and newspapers. 

Citizens: The concerned citizen can express to the panel any point of view. A student playing a 

concerned citizen should read anything available and form his or her own opinion. 

Media: The media are responsible for asking probing questions and reporting the viewpoints. A 

student playing a media person may want to write press releases, ask the panel pertinent 

questions, and may be required to prepare a newsletter summarizing the information given to the 

panel and the decision of the panel. 

Environmental Groups: Students could represent environmental groups such as the Sierra 

Club. The students would need to research the group, understand the tactics, and represent the 

position of the group. 

Fertilizer Industry: The fertilizer industry is concerned because a requirement that farmers use 

less fertilizer would result in fewer sales. Fewer sales, in turn, could mean lower profits, plant 

closures, job loss for people, etc. Students representing the fertilizer industry would need to 

research the industry and understand how much they sell to Midwestern farmers. 

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Internet Activity: Gas Hydrates 

Internet Sources 

What are gas hydrates? 

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/

Hydrates 

http://www.hydrate.org/

Gas Hydrates -- a Possible Future Energy Resource? 

http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/resources/hydrate.html

Using information found on the Internet, answer the following questions: 

1. What is a gas hydrate? 

2. What gases can be trapped in the lattice structure? 

3. At what temperatures and pressures do gas hydrates form? 

4. Why are gas hydrates a potential energy resource? 

5. How could gas hydrates contribute to global warming? 

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Supplementary Resources 

General Oceanographic Information for Teachers 

http://www.vims.edu/bridge/

http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/search_educational_materials.html

http://www.epa.gov/ow/kids/watered2.html

Why is the Ocean Salty? 

http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm

Chemosynthetic Communities and Brine Pool 

http://www.bio.psu.edu/People/Faculty/Fisher/fhome.htm

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/chemo/chemo.html

Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico 

http://www.smm.org/DeadZone/top.html

http://www.nos.noaa.gov/products/pubs_hypox.html

Phytoplankton 

http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/Kid's%20Entries/phytoplankton.htm

For great lesson plans, search for phytoplankton on this website:

http://www.vims.edu/bridge/

Ocean Currents 

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02mexico/background/currents/currents.html

Naturally Occurring Oil Seeps 

http://www-gerg.tamu.edu/irm/sliktrak/SciAmer_web/index.html

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References 

Libes, Susan M. 1992. An Introduction to Marine Biogeochemistry. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New 

York. ISBN 0-471-50946-9. 

Pipkin, Bernard W., Donn S. Gorsline, Richard E. Casey, and Douglas E. Hammond. 1977. 

Laboratory Exercises in Oceanography. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. ISBN 

0-7167-0181-2. 

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Critique of Instructional Resources for 

Chemistry in the Gulf of Mexico 

Send the critique to: Mary Boatman, Minerals Management Service, MS 5431, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70123-2394. 

1. In what grade level was the material implemented? 

2. Was the material easy to understand and implement? 

3. What subject was it used to complement? 

4. Which resources (e.g., activities) did you use? 

5. Could you suggest ways in which the material could be improved? 

6. Please describe which resource(s) you liked best and why. 

7. Were you able to obtain any feedback from the students? 

8. Have you taught oceanography in the classroom before? 

9. Additional comments: 

21
The Department of the Interior Mission

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility 

for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering 

sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; 

preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places; 

and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses 

our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best 

interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. 

The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities 

and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration. 

The Minerals Management Service Mission 

As a bureau of the Department of the Interior, the Minerals Management Service's (MMS) 

primary responsibilities are to manage the mineral resources located on the Nation's Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS), collect revenue from the Federal OCS and onshore Federal and Indian 

lands, and distribute those revenues. 

Moreover, in working to meet its responsibilities, the Offshore Minerals Management Program 

administers the OCS competitive leasing program and oversees the safe and environmentally 

sound exploration and production of our Nation's offshore natural gas, oil and other mineral 

resources. The MMS Minerals Revenue Management meets its responsibilities by ensuring the 

efficient, timely and accurate collection and disbursement of revenue from mineral leasing and 

production due to Indian tribes and allottees, States and the U.S. Treasury. 

The MMS strives to fulfill its responsibilities through the general guiding principles of: (1) being 

responsive to the public's concerns and interests by maintaining a dialogue with all potentially 

affected parties and (2) carrying out its programs with an emphasis on working to enhance the 

quality of life for all Americans by lending MMS assistance and expertise to economic 

development and environmental protection.