AIM: How do oil spills affect the environment?
DN: What types of animals are affected by oil spills? How?
• http://www.wsj.com/video/california-oil-spill-state-of-emergency-declared/EAE3024E-DCA4-4BDD-8F3E-035EB9ADCA2C.html
What types of animals are affected by oil spills?
Any aquatic organism or shorebird is affected by oil spills.
How are animals affected by oil spills?1. Hypothermia2. Poisoning/internal damage3. Increased predation4. Decreased reproduction5. Habitat destruction
Hypothermia• The fur of animals and the
feathers of birds have air spaces between them that acts as an insulator to keep them warm.
• The oil causes the feathers or fur to stick together preventing it from acting as an insulator.
• This can cause their body temperature to drop too much, potentially causing death
Poisoning/Internal Damage• Ingestion– Ulcers– Damage RBC’s– Damage to kidneys, liver,
immune system• Oil vapors– Eye and lung irritation– Drowsiness- can cause drowning
• Biomagnificaton- – the amount of oil increases in concentration as it moves
through the food chain.
Increased Predation
Oil weighs down feathers and fur of organisms, making it difficult for them to escape
predators.
How are oil spills cleaned?1. Blooms and Skimmers2. Dispersants3. Biological agents4. Naturally broken down
1. Booms and skimmers
• Solid or inflatable tubes surround the oil• Booms are 3 feet above the surface and
attach to a skirt below the surface• Skimmers scoop up the oil into tanks
2. Dispersants• Chemicals that break down the oil into droplets• Mixes into the water easier- not good in all areas
3. Biological agents
Biodegredation- bacteria and other microorganisms break down the oil into harmless substances
1989- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill• Prince William Sound, Alaska• Spilled about 11 million gallons of oil after hitting a reef• Led to 1990 Oil Pollution Act• Estimated killing of– 250,000 seabirds– 2,800 sea otters– 300 harbor seals– 250 bald eagles– at least a dozen killer whales– billions of salmon and herring eggs
• flashback to exxon valdez oil spill
2010- BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill
• Gulf of Mexico• Over 200 million gallons of oil was pumped
into the Gulf of Mexico • Lasted 87 days (April – July)• Killed 11 people
Explosion of Natural gas on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused it to collapse
When the platform sank, it ruptured the riser (the pipe that connects the well at the ocean floor to the drilling platform on the surface), causing the oil to gush out.
Attempts to shut down the flow failed when a safety device called a blowout preventer (BOP) could not be activated.
• Attempts to shut down the flow failed when a safety device called a blowout preventer (BOP) could not be activated.
What Happened?
• BP Oil Spill timeline
• Cat Island