Pollution

Fossil fuels - Oil spills

Sources.

Pollution from oil is a recent problem because of the greater need for fossil fuels as a source of energy.

Although oil spills from tanker accidents are well known, they are not the major source of oil pollution. Figures are millions of tonnes per annum.

• Offshore drilling 15
• Big spills from accidents 37
• Natural seepage from rocks 62
• Up in smoke from cars etc. Deposits into water 92
• Handling errors and dumping oil from water ballast 137
• Down the drain roads and cities 363

What damage does oil do?

• The ruin areas of aesthetic value such as tourist beaches.
• On rocky shore they kill filter feeders (barnacles and mussels) and other marine organisms such as crabs and seaweeds. This results in the serious disruption of food chains.
• On a sandy shore, the oil seeps into the sand and kills it inhabitants by anoxia or suffocation. Again, this seriously disrupts food chains e.g. the wading birds at the top of the food chain may suffer.
•  Oil covering seabirds causing their death.
• The detergents used to disperse the oil can often cause harm. They kill bacteria which would naturally decay the oil. They also interfere with the waterproofing surfaces of many marine organisms, which may lead to their death.
• Loss of jobs – shell-fish can be seriously damaged or the animals made unfit for human consumption.

Solutions.

• Spray slick with detergents. Not an ideal solution due to the side effects of its use.
• Spray oil with compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorous. These will encourage bacteria to break down the oil.
• Booms to contain the slick.
• Super sponges to soak up oil?  Find out how it might work.