By now most know about the oil gushing out in the Gulf of Mexico. Certainly it is floating on the surface but what is the effect underwater? One way is to measure the relative concentrations of PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) independent analysis of water samples collected during the May 22-28 research mission of the University of South Florida’s R/V Weatherbird II confirmed the presence of very low concentrations of subsurface oil and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) at sampling depths ranging from 50 meters to 1,400 meters.