Impact on Marine Environment of Oil Spills
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Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, mankind has increasingly become reliant on fossil fuels, such as oil, for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the oceanůsuch as the infamous Exxon-Valdez incident in 1989. While oil-tanker accidents achieve far-flung notoriety and are widely reported, they are not the only way in which oil can reach the marine environment. Oil spilled on land can reach lakes, rivers, wetlands, and the ocean itself. When spilled oil interacts with an aquatic environment, it causes damage to the entire ecosystem. Oil can directly damage the animal and plant organisms that live in or around the water surface as well those that live underwater or at the bottom of the ocean. This harm can damage the entire marine food chain in that environment and can directly affect resources that are used by humans for food. Despite the sensation that large oil spills cause, however, there is no direct relationship between the size of an oil spill and the damage it will cause to the environment. This paper will outline all the factors that come into play when spilled oil comes into contact with the marine environment.
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example, can result in dispersion. Dispersion occurs when the slick breaks up into droplets that descend so that they are distributed vertically throughout the water column (EPA).
Evaporation: this occurs when the lighter or more volatile substances within the oil become vapors. The heavier elements of the oil slick remain in the water and can sink to the ocean floor. Lighter oil products, including kerosene and gasoline, contain a high proportion of flammable components which can evaporate in a few hours, causing minimal environmental damage. Heavier oils, including crude oil and animal fats, leave a thicker and more viscous residue that does not evaporate easily (Jacqueline).
Oxidation: this occurs when water and oxygen combine with the oil to produce water-soluble compounds; typically around the edges of a slick.
Biodegradation: this occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria feed on the oil. A wide range of these microorganisms is needed to create a significant reduction in the spilled oil, and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous are sometimes added to the water to encourage the organisms to proliferate.
Emulsification: this is the process through which oil
Droplets combine with water to form an emulsion.
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Approximate Word count = 1747
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
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