Oil Spills and Solutions
written by Laurie Jin, edited by Ada Praun-Petrovic
Oil spills are a massive contributor to the deterioration of our environment. Although technology has greatly decreased the number of spills per year, only one accident has the potential to create disastrous effects on the environment. Furthermore, the demand for oil has drastically increased the past few decades, resulting in increased magnitude of these spills.
The release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon (oil) into Earth’s water and soil results from outdated equipment, natural disasters, or simple carelessness. When released into the environment (both onshore and offshore), oil spreads rapidly and forms a thick layer on the surface of Earth. When the density of oil is greater than that of water, it can sink to the bottom, making cleaning the mess difficult for environmentalists.
Oil spills have countless negative effects on wildlife. Animals can experience poisoning and even die as a result of oil exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and absorption through the skin. First, it interferes with animals’ external barriers by coating their skin and eyes, not only smothering their ability to regulate body temperature, but also preventing them from eating and breathing. Animal cells can also absorb the oil, poisoning themselves. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill alone killed 25,000 marine mammals.
Not only is the animal population harmed, oil spills also indirectly hurt the ecosystem, changing the balance that species have created. With marine life already dying due to other factors in climate change, oil spills speed up the process of wiping out complete ecosystems. On land, if oil spills reach groundwater, they pollute water sources, harming more animals as well as the farms that provide food for us. Although polluted crops are unlikely to reach our dinner tables, this pollution still hurts farmers and the economy. Oil can become runoff as well, reaching cities and harming people with fumes that arise from oil fires, which are incredibly difficult to put out. The black smoke from such fires vanishing into the air deceives the eye while the toxic carbon dioxide from these fumes disperses into the air and worsens air quality, further polluting our environment.
Currently, the most common ways to clean up oil spills are through dispersants, booms, and skimmers. These technologies disperse, contain, and collect the oil from these spills respectively. While we have used them for many years, they are not perfectly effective. Oil dispersants simply break apart big masses of oil, but do nothing more to collect it from the ocean. Skimmers are typically only used to collect the oil at the surface of the water, leaving the denser oil that sinks to the bottom of the ocean behind. Booms prevent the oil from spreading on the surface, only helping if the density of the oil is less than water. Scientists have been researching more effective and efficient ways to clean up oil. One possible solution is the use of nanotechnology to clean oil spills. Scientists created tiny oil magnets that attract the oil particles around them. These magnets can also be filtered so that the oil can be salvaged and the nanoparticles can be reused. While this technology has promise, scientists are still testing it and worry that it may be difficult to use at a large scale.
However, some oil cleaning technology is far simpler than nanotech. Matter of Trust, a business located in San Francisco, collects hair from donations to create mats that absorb oil. Mats are like skimmers: they collect oil from the ocean but are a lot more effective. Normally, mats that absorb oil are made from polypropylene, a plastic material that can be detrimental to the environment. This hair alternative allows for a 100% environmentally friendly oil-cleaning method as hair is biodegradable. Furthermore, hair mats can absorb up to five times their weight in oil. Growing businesses like these help our world become safer for both humans and wildlife.
