Oil Spill
Effects to the water quality
Oils consist of a complex mixture of hydrogen and carbon which is used for fuel, lubrication, plastics manufacturing, and many other purposes. These petroleum products get into water mainly by means of accidental spills from ships, tanker trucks, pipelines, and leaky underground storage tanks
Petroleum products affect surface water, impairing water quality with hydrocarbons, salts, nutrients, a host of organic compounds, and various heavy metals.
Immediately after a spill, Oil slicks on the surface water producing a thick mousse. A large portion of the oil also forms emulsions or dissolves in the water. Some heavy portions will settle into to the bottom. Oxygen can be relatively easily obtained in the slick oil spill, but the nutrients are sometimes limited. In the warm waters of the equatorial and tropical oceans, it has been observed that this evaporation will remove as much as 40% of the spill during the first 24 hr. Oil will also be oxidised by dissolved oxygen at the rate of 1 mg of oil per 3 mg of oxygen consumption. Microbial degradation will account for 2g of oil per square meter per day. Around 1% of the spilled oil will be dissolved or dispersed in water. In addition, photo-oxidation by solar radiation will also degrade a part of the oil. Thus, it can be expected that around 45-50% of any oil spill will be removed during the first 24 hr in the warm zone of the ocean. The heavier fractions of the spill will form drifting patches being split up by the prevailing winds and currents. These patches will ultimately end up as floating tar particles
Oil is an intimidating mixture of thousands of compounds, and every oil is different. All petroleum-based fuels, including the gasoline we pump into our cars, begin with crude oil that is pulled from the ground and processed at a refinery, where it is heated and separated into the different products we use. As crude oil is heated, lighter compounds evaporate and are collected and
Oils consist of a complex mixture of hydrogen and carbon which is used for fuel, lubrication, plastics manufacturing, and many other purposes. These petroleum products get into water mainly by means of accidental spills from ships, tanker trucks, pipelines, and leaky underground storage tanks
Petroleum products affect surface water, impairing water quality with hydrocarbons, salts, nutrients, a host of organic compounds, and various heavy metals.
Immediately after a spill, Oil slicks on the surface water producing a thick mousse. A large portion of the oil also forms emulsions or dissolves in the water. Some heavy portions will settle into to the bottom. Oxygen can be relatively easily obtained in the slick oil spill, but the nutrients are sometimes limited. In the warm waters of the equatorial and tropical oceans, it has been observed that this evaporation will remove as much as 40% of the spill during the first 24 hr. Oil will also be oxidised by dissolved oxygen at the rate of 1 mg of oil per 3 mg of oxygen consumption. Microbial degradation will account for 2g of oil per square meter per day. Around 1% of the spilled oil will be dissolved or dispersed in water. In addition, photo-oxidation by solar radiation will also degrade a part of the oil. Thus, it can be expected that around 45-50% of any oil spill will be removed during the first 24 hr in the warm zone of the ocean. The heavier fractions of the spill will form drifting patches being split up by the prevailing winds and currents. These patches will ultimately end up as floating tar particles
Oil is an intimidating mixture of thousands of compounds, and every oil is different. All petroleum-based fuels, including the gasoline we pump into our cars, begin with crude oil that is pulled from the ground and processed at a refinery, where it is heated and separated into the different products we use. As crude oil is heated, lighter compounds evaporate and are collected and