Only Trace Of Oil Detected At DI Marina

Our News Five Investigation: Testing The Water continued on Monday.

We went out on a boat and collected a new sample of water from the same area where we got the sample that exploded in a chemist's lab last week.

Bob Naman, a local chemist with nearly thirty years of experience, says he believes a chemical, perhaps the chemical dispersant being used in the Gulf, was to blame for what happened in his lab.

"Substantial pressure built up, and it blew up," said Naman. "It needs to be tested. It needs to be followed and isolated as to where it is," said Naman.

We took our new sample back to Naman's lab today, but whatever may have been there last week is now gone. The sample tested positive for only one part per million of oil, which would not be considered abnormal, according Naman. Four days passed between the two samples.

Last week six samples in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Katrina Key all tested positive for oil between 16 ppm and 221 ppm.

The Environmental Protection Agency has not established a guideline for what amount of oil would be considered harmful, according to a published report on July 1. We've attempted to reach the EPA and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, but our calls have not been returned.

At least one Gulf Coast city is reacting to our News Five Investigation. Officials in Orange Beach have contacted Naman about doing testing for them as well.