Using spill treating agents to clean up oil spills does not significantly hinder naturally occurring oil biodegradation, according to a new study.
Using spill treating agents to clean up oil spills does not significantly hinder naturally occurring oil biodegradation, according to a new study. The study, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, provides information that will be useful in future oil spills.
Biodegradation is an incredibly important natural process when it comes to oil spill cleanup. A significant portion of the oil can be permanently removed from the contaminated area through microbial activity. On-scene coordinators and other first responders must weigh the benefits against potential risks of any response action, such as using spill treating agents. Emergency response actions to oil spills vary widely depending on the scale of an oil spill, location and environmental conditions.
Different treating agents serve different functions. Oil dispersants break the oil into smaller droplets. Surface washing agents lift stranded oil from solid substrates. Chemical herders corral oil into a thicker slick to ease mechanical removal and can also enhance burning efficiency. Oil dispersants are the most well-known category of spill treating agent due to their unprecedented use during the high-profile Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Their effect on oil biodegradation has been extensively scrutinized by the scientific community. Some of the lesser-known spill treating agents are used far more frequently than chemical dispersants, and their impacts on oil biodegradation remain unknown.
Read more at American Society for Microbiology
