Oil+Spill+Cleanup+Deluxe

Oil Dispersent Effectiveness on Oil Spill Cleanup by Danny Foussard and Drew Whitaker

Abstract:

**Oil Dispersant Effectiveness on Oil Spill Cleanup. Danny Foussard.** The purpose of this lab is to test oil dispersants and measure their effectiveness at cleaning oil spills. To execute this, sea water was recreated through dissolution of a solid into water, and then an oil slick was recreated by inserting vegetable oil into the solution. Two dispersants were tested, household dish soap and Nalco Corexit 9500, each on an individual beaker, inserted using a syringe. The concepts of hydrophilic substances and oleophilic molecules and their integration of oil slicks are addressed in this lab. Another concept that is explored is transmittance and absorbance of light through liquids of different opaqueness. It was found that the Nalco Corexit 9500 was most effective at dispersing the oil throughout the saline solution, as the droplets were very small (1/100 mm) and no slick remained on the surface, but the increased integration of the oil into the water also made the water less transparent, ranging from 14.3 VLT to 26.1 VLT, and absorbed more light, ranging from .584 AU to .845 AU. This is a stark contrast from the control sample which was more transparent, from 26.2 VLT to 34.6 VLT, and less absorbent, .462 AU to .582 AU, because no oil was dispersed and the solution remained clear. The data amassed shows that oil dispersant is the most effective at cleaning up oil spills, but that dispersal changes the characteristics of the water surrounding it. This has the application of leading to more efficient clean up in oil spills, and the development of new technologies that do not affect the water but still disperse oil at high levels of effectiveness.

Key Words: Oil spill, dispersant, transmittance, absorbance, microscope, droplets, Corexit 9500, syringe

Works Consulted

Nijhuis, Michelle. (2010). Crude awakening. //41//(5), Vol. 41 Issue 5, p10-14. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.elm4you.org/ehost/detail?hid=22&sid=11cd15a8-fc73-4a57-a884-1f134699ecb9%40sessionmgr11&vid=5&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=52999910

Safina, Carl. "TOXIC BREW." //Audubon// 112.5 (2010): 74. //Science Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

Graph 2, Absorbance:



Figure 2: Microscope and Slide:

Audio Recording:

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