Geochemical Archaeology with GCxGC: Tracing WWII Shipwreck Oil from Unknown Leaks to Known Sources

Thousands of World War II shipwrecks rest along coastal and open-ocean seafloors in both the Atlantic and Pacific, each with the potential to release substantial quantities of oil. Using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC), we treat these wrecks as a form of “geochemical archeology,” interrogating their residual fuels for advanced molecular markers that are invisible to traditional methods. GCxGC’s superior resolution, sensitivity, and selectivity allow us to distinguish among oils from California, Sumatra, and other key petroleum provinces that fueled different navies during the war.

By coupling these molecular fingerprints with historical records, we can attribute leaking oil to specific wrecks, constrain the national origin of fuels in regions with dense clusters of wrecks, and refine timelines of fuel use during the conflict—while showcasing the unique capability of GCxGC to turn complex, real-world samples into compelling scientific and historical narratives.