To the best of my ability I write about my experience of the Universe Past, Present and Future
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Potential Problem with Oil dispersants
The potential problem with oil dispersants could be as bad as when the U.S. sprayed Agent Orange on the DMZ during the Viet Nam War. No one really knows yet. For example, though dispersants cause oil to drop from the surface of the water and therefore is less likely to affect coasts and wetlands along a shore, it causes underwater plumes to hang and drift in the ocean currents. It also can cause these areas to lose all oxygen in the water and suffocate all organisms there who need oxygen in the water to function. No one knows yet just how long this zero oxygen environment will last and suffocate all organisms there. Also, if the oil drops to the bottom it temporarily (as in months, years or longer) causes all organisms there to die or have to move to another area. So, at the very least we will see major die-offs of multiple organisms in the ocean. Though it is true that over time they might be replaced by organisms eventually moving in from other areas. But it is likely that many extinctions of species local only to those areas is likely. To read the news article about what the Oil Dispersant maker had to say click "We Have Nothing to Hide" below.
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