Difference between revisions of "Oil spill" - New World Encyclopedia
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==References== | ==References== | ||
− | + | *Park, Ken ed. 2004. ''The World Almanac and Book of Facts''. New York, NY: World Almanac. ISBN 0886879116. | |
− | + | * [http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/26_spilldb.pdf Oil Spill Case Histories 1967-1991.] NOAA/Hazardous Materials and Response Division. Retrieved December 7, 2007. | |
− | + | *Nelson-Smith, A. 1973. ''Oil Pollution and Marine Ecology''. London, UK: Elek Scientific. ISBN 0236154117. | |
− | * | ||
− | * | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
− | * [http:// | + | * [http://www.black-tides.com An educational website comprising texts, animations, diagrams, quizzes and video clips on oil spills]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.cedre.fr/index_gb.html www.cedre.fr Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution] | + | * [http://www.cedre.fr/index_gb.html www.cedre.fr Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | + | * [http://www.itopf.com International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. | |
− | * [http://www.itopf.com International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation] | + | * [http://www.newsweek.com/id/70906 Newsweek's Black Tides Timeline]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.newsweek.com/id/70906 Newsweek's Black Tides Timeline] | + | * [http://www.censol.co.uk/censol%20-%20oil%20absorbents%20-%20testing.html How oil spill absorbent products Work]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.censol.co.uk/censol%20-%20oil%20absorbents%20-%20testing.html How oil spill absorbent products Work] | + | * [http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/coi/viewTopic.do?o=read&id=367 Industrial pollution information from the Coastal Ocean Institute]. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/coi/viewTopic.do?o=read&id=367 Industrial pollution information from the Coastal Ocean Institute] | + | * [http://www.incidentnews.gov/ IncidentNews.gov] - a NOAA site cataloguing major spills, April 14, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.incidentnews.gov/ IncidentNews.gov] - a | + | * [http://www.lastingnews.com/maps/oilspill.php A Google map of the major oil spills since 1960]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://www.lastingnews.com/maps/oilspill.php A Google map of the major oil spills since 1960] | + | * [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9175553/ Oil spill on Mississippi River after Hurricane Katrina]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | + | * [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/07/19/brazil.spill.wildlife/ 2000 Oil spill in Brazil]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. | |
− | * [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9175553/ Oil spill on Mississippi River after Hurricane Katrina] | + | * [http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/ashland.htm Ashland oil spill in Floreffe, Pennsylvania in 1988 - considered one of the most severe inland oil spills in U.S. history]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | * [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/07/19/brazil.spill.wildlife/ 2000 Oil spill in Brazil] | + | * [http://www.upsorb.com Biodegradable Absorbents]. Retrieved December 7, 2007. |
− | |||
− | * [http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/ashland.htm Ashland oil spill in Floreffe, Pennsylvania in 1988 - considered one of the most severe inland oil spills in U.S. history] | ||
− | |||
− | * [http://www.upsorb.com Biodegradable Absorbents] | ||
[[Category:Physical sciences]] | [[Category:Physical sciences]] |
Revision as of 23:11, 7 December 2007
An oil spill is the unintentional release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment as a result of human activity. The term often refers to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Oil can refer to many different materials, including crude oil, refined petroleum products (such as gasoline or diesel fuel) or by-products, ships' bunkers, oily refuse or oil mixed in waste. Spills take months or even years to clean up.
Oil is also released into the environment from natural geologic seeps on the sea floor.[1] Most man-made oil pollution comes from land-based activity, but public attention and subsequent regulation has tended to focus most sharply on seagoing oil tankers.[2]
Environmental effects
Studies of the Exxon Valdez oil spill have shown that the environmental damage caused by oil spills can be greater than was previously thought. Petroleum-based hydrocarbons can negatively impact marine life at concentrations as low as one part per billion. [citation needed]
The lighter fractions of oil, such as benzene and toluene, are highly toxic, but are also volatile and evaporate quickly. [citation needed] Heavier components of crude oil, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) appear to cause the most damage; while they are less toxic than the lighter volatiles, they persist in the environment much longer. A heavy oil spill can also blanket estuaries and shoreline ecosystems such as salt marshes and tidal pools, preventing gas exchange and blocking light. The oil can mix deeply into pebble, shingle or sandy beaches, where it may remain for months or even years.
Seabirds are severely affected by spills as the oil penetrates and opens up the structure of their plumage, reducing the insulating ability of their feathers, making the birds more vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and much less buoyant in the water. [citation needed] The oiled feathers also impairs birds' flight abilities, making it difficult or impossible to forage and escape from predators. As they attempt to preen, birds typically ingest oil that coats their feathers, causing kidney damage, altered liver function, and digestive tract irritation. [citation needed] The limited foraging ability coupled with the ingestion of the oil quickly causes dehydration and metabolic imbalances. Most birds affected by an oil spill will die without human intervention.
Marine mammals exposed to oil spills are affected in many of the same ways as seabirds. Oil coats the fur of Sea otters, seals, reducing their furs natural insulation abilities, leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Ingestion of the oil also causes dehydration, and impaired digestion.
Largest oil spills
Spill / Tanker | Location | Date | *Tonnes of crude oil | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gulf War oil spill | Persian Gulf | January 23 1991 | 136,000 - 1,500,000 | [3][4] |
Ixtoc I oil well | Gulf of Mexico | June 3 1979- March 23 1980 | 454,000 - 480,000 | [5] |
Atlantic Empress / Aegean Captain | Trinidad and Tobago | July 19 1979 | 287,000 | [6] [7] |
Fergana Valley | Uzbekistan | March 2 1992 | 285,000 | [4] |
Nowruz oil field | Persian Gulf | February 1983 | 260,000 | [8] |
ABT Summer | 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) off Angola | 1991 | 260,000 | [6] |
Castillo de Bellver | Saldanha Bay, South Africa | August 6 1983 | 252,000 | [6] |
Amoco Cadiz | Brittany, France | March 16 1978 | 223,000 | [6] [4] |
Amoco Haven tanker disaster | Mediterranean Sea near Genoa, Italy | 1991 | 144,000 | [6] |
Odyssey | 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) off Nova Scotia, Canada | 1988 | 132,000 | [6] |
Sea Star | Gulf of Oman | December 19 1972 | 115,000 | [6] [4] |
Torrey Canyon | Scilly Isles, UK | March 18 1967 | 80,000 - 119,000 | [6] [4] |
Irenes Serenade | Navarino Bay, Greece | 1980 | 100,000 | [6] |
Urquiola | A Coruña, Spain | May 12 1976 | 100,000 | [6] |
One tonne of crude oil is roughly equal to 308 US gallons, or 7.33 barrels.
Estimating the volume of a spill
| |||
Air pollution | |||
Acid rain • Air Pollution Index • Air Quality Index • Atmospheric dispersion modeling • Chlorofluorocarbon • Global dimming • Global warming • Haze • Indoor air quality • Ozone depletion • Particulate • Smog • Roadway air dispersion | |||
Water pollution | |||
Eutrophication • Hypoxia • Marine pollution • Ocean acidification • Oil spill • Ship pollution • Surface runoff • Thermal pollution • Wastewater • Waterborne diseases • Water quality • Water stagnation | |||
Soil contamination | |||
Bioremediation • Herbicide • Pesticide •Soil Guideline Values (SGVs) | |||
Radioactive contamination | |||
Actinides in the environment • Environmental radioactivity • Fission product • Nuclear fallout • Plutonium in the environment • Radiation poisoning • radium in the environment • Uranium in the environment | |||
Other types of pollution | |||
Invasive species • Light pollution • Noise pollution • Radio spectrum pollution • Visual pollution | |||
Government acts | |||
Clean Air Act • Clean Water Act • Kyoto Protocol • Water Pollution Control Act • Environmental Protection Act 1990 | |||
Major organizations | |||
DEFRA • Environmental Protection Agency • Global Atmosphere Watch • Greenpeace • National Ambient Air Quality Standards | |||
Related topics | |||
Natural environment |
By observing the thickness of the film and its appearance on the surface of the water, it is possible to estimate the quantity of oil spilled. If the surface area of the spill is known, the total volume of the oil can be calculated from this information.[9]
Film Thickness | Quantity Spread | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Appearance | in | mm | gal/sq mi | L/ha |
Barely visible | 0.0000015 | 0.0000381 | 25 | 0.365 |
Silvery sheen | 0.0000030 | 0.0000762 | 50 | 0.731 |
First trace of color | 0.0000060 | 0.0001524 | 100 | 1.461 |
Bright bands of color | 0.0000120 | 0.0003048 | 200 | 2.922 |
Colors begin to dull | 0.0000400 | 0.0010160 | 666 | 9.731 |
Colors are much darker | 0.0000800 | 0.0020320 | 1332 | 19.463 |
Methods of cleaning an oil spill
A sheen can be dispersed (but not cleaned up) with detergents which makes oil settle to the bottom and makes the seabed toxic. It is very difficult to clean up oils denser than water as they settle to the bottom; PCBs are an example of such a pollutant.
Some of the equipment used in cleaning up include:
- Absorbent Boom, Sausage
- Containment Boom (except for gasoline where confinement can cause dangerous levels of fume buildup)[citation needed]
- Skimmers
- Snares
Some of the methods used include:
- Bioremediation: use of biological agents to remove oil.[10]
- Burning: It can be done only when it is not windy, the oil has not dispersed and there is a calm sea.
- Dispersants: Dispersants act as detergents, clustering around oil globules and allowing it to be carried away in the water.[11] While this makes the surface look pretty, it only spreads the oil around. This can be a benefit since smaller oil droplets, scattered with currents, may cause less harm and may be easier to degrade. However, the dispersed oil droplets readily sink and can lethally contaminate coral. Moreover, recent research indicates that dispersants themselves are toxic to corals.[12]
- Do nothing: Sometimes it is better to do nothing and let the oil evaporate or break down on its own than to make matters worse by attempting to clean up.[citation needed] Cleanup by detergents pollutes the seabed. Shoreline cleanup can further disturb the ecology by bleaching all life from the area.
- Dredging: for oils dispersed with detergents and other oils denser than water.
- Skimming:It can't be done if there is a rough sea
- Solidifying [citation needed]
Spill Prevention
- Secondary Containment - methods to prevent releases of oil or hydrocarbons into environment.
- SPCC - Oil Spill Prevention Containment and Countermeasures program by US EPA.
- Double hulling - build double hull vessels and rebuild single hull vessels into double hull. A double hull reduces the risk and severity of a spill in case of a collision or grounding.
See also
Notes
- ↑ Welcome to the UCSB Hydrocarbon Seeps web site. UCSB Hydrocarbon Seeps Project. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Petroleum: Oil Spill. Portable Planetariums. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Draffan, George. Major Oil Spills. Endgame. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 History. The Mariner Group. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Patton, John S., Mark W. Rigler, Paul D. Boehm & David L. Fiest. 1981. Ixtoc 1 oil spill: flaking of surface mousse in the Gulf of Mexico. NPG (Nature Publishing Group). Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Statistics. ITOPF. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain. Cedre. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Oil Spills and Disasters. infoplease. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. 2003. Wastewater Engineering, Treatment and Reuse. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0070418780.
- ↑ Oil Program. US EPA. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Detergent and Oil Spills. NEWTON BBS. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- ↑ Barry, Carolyn. 2007. Slick Death: Oil-spill treatment kills coral. Science News. 172:67. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Park, Ken ed. 2004. The World Almanac and Book of Facts. New York, NY: World Almanac. ISBN 0886879116.
- Oil Spill Case Histories 1967-1991. NOAA/Hazardous Materials and Response Division. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Nelson-Smith, A. 1973. Oil Pollution and Marine Ecology. London, UK: Elek Scientific. ISBN 0236154117.
External links
- An educational website comprising texts, animations, diagrams, quizzes and video clips on oil spills. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- www.cedre.fr Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Newsweek's Black Tides Timeline. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- How oil spill absorbent products Work. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Industrial pollution information from the Coastal Ocean Institute. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- IncidentNews.gov - a NOAA site cataloguing major spills, April 14, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- A Google map of the major oil spills since 1960. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Oil spill on Mississippi River after Hurricane Katrina. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- 2000 Oil spill in Brazil. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Ashland oil spill in Floreffe, Pennsylvania in 1988 - considered one of the most severe inland oil spills in U.S. history. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Biodegradable Absorbents. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
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