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Overview

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Oil dispersants are a common tool used after oil spills to break up oil slicks on the water surface and increase the oil's rate of biodegradation. By breaking up large slicks, oil dispersants are intended to reduce harmful oil exposures of birds, fish, and other wildlife in proximity to spills. Two oil dispersant products were used heavily in the BP oil leak: COREXIT 9500 and 9527, both produced by Nalco. BP used over 1,800,000 gallons of dispersant since the start of the oil leak (Buchanan).

How Oil Dispersants Work

Oil dispersants work by separating an oil slick into small droplets of oil. Wind, waves, and other turbulence in the water break up these droplets and disperse them throughout the water column. Once dispersed, the oil droplets are consumed by naturally occurring bacteria or they are carried out into the open ocean. The goal of using oil dispersants is to protect fragile coatal areas from oil coming ashore.

Nalco Website and Video on How Oil Dispersants Work

The Chaos of Cleanup: Analysis of the Potenital Health and Environmental Impacts of Chemicals in Dispersant Products

Download the report today!

This report highlights key findings from research on the 57 chemicals found in the oil dispersant products listed for use by the EPA as appropriate for in response to oil spills. Additionally, the report disects issues of concern with the approval process for dispersant products and makes suggestions on improving regulations so that the safest dispersant is used in each unique spill.

Oil Dispersant Glossary

Throughout the oil dispersant section you may come across a word, phrase, or abbreviation that you are not familiar. Swing into the oil dispersant glossary for definitions and explanations of these terms.

Oil Dispersant Chemicals

There are a total of 57 chemical ingredients that are found in the oil dispersant products approved for use by the US Environmental Protection Agency. View a chart of the potential effects on human health and the aquatic environment.

Oil Dispersant Products

Click on a product name for information on the chemcials found in it, potential effects on human and environmental health, as well as data on its effectiveness at dispersing oil.

Environmental Toxicity

Oil dispersants begin to break down within 16 days of application in aquatic environments (CDC 2010).

Dispersing oil can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment and wildlife. "They expose marine life in the water column to more oil than would be the case for untreated oil, which floats at the surface" (Torrice 2010.) However, "Oil in the water column...won't reach wetlands on shore, where it could wreak greater havoc" (Torrice 2010).

The potential environmental impacts of oil dispersants are dependent on various factors, described below.

Species of Wildlife

• Different species of aquatic wildlife react differently to oil dispersant exposure, as evaluated by the exposure level that causes a 50% mortality rate under particular exposure conditions. For example, grass shrimp can withstand exposure to higher concentrations of Corexit oil dispersants than the Pacific oyster. Analysis of tests done on a variety of species of aquatic life show that crustaceans (a group of animals including crabs, shrimp, and barnacles) are more sensitive to oil dispersant exposure than fish (George-Ares, 2000).
• One study found that the species with the least amount of protective shell or external tissue are most sensitive to oil dispersant exposure (Scarlett et al., 2005).
• Another study found that the use of oil dispersants increased the levels of hydrocarbons, which are found in crude oil, in rockfish. Fish exposed to high levels of hydrocarbons may show changes in their physiology. Study researchers state that similar effects could be seen in other ovoviviparous fish, fish that give birth to live young instead of eggs (Jung et al., 2009).
• A study was performed to see if the use of oil dispersants affected fish intake of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a chemical compound that exists in oil). Researchers found that the use of oil dispersants did in fact increase exposure and uptake of PAHs by fish, especially fish that live throughout the water column of coastal areas, the ocean, and lakes. They also state that "the risk of PAH toxicity ... especially to sensitive life stages such as eggs and larvae, is enhanced by chemical dispersion (Ramachandran et al., 2003)." "Concentrations of LMWPAHs and HMWPAHs (low and high weight PAHs) are higher in the water column following application of chemical dispersants to surface slicks" (Couillard et al. 2004).
  • PAHs have been studied and shown to cause cardiac problems, abnormal accumulations of fluid in the body, and spinal and cranial deformation of fish embryos (Incardona et al., 2004). Chronic exposure to PAHs has also been shown to cause increased rates of parasite infection, which may cause disease and death in fish.

Life Stage of Wildlife

• Early life stages of aquatic organisms (embryo, larval, and juvenile) have a higher sensitivity to oil dispersants. The George-Ares study states, "Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 are moderately toxic to early life stages of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs." Studies have shown that the age, down to the hour, can have an impact on the species' level of sensitivity to oil dispersants. For example, "Herring eggs at time of fertilization were more sensitive to the dispersants ... than herring eggs 6 hours after fertilization" (the herring eggs were exposed to a different type of oil dispersant) (George-Ares, 2000).
  

Duration of Exposure

• The longer the period of exposure to oil dispersants is, the worse the impacts on particular species can be. In several studies, species continually exposed to oil dispersants for a 96-hour period were more susceptible to a 50% mortality rate than species exposed to oil dispersants just one time. Releasing oil dispersants into the water for days, weeks, or months at a time will increase the dispersants' level of toxicity.
• In a study that compared the toxicity of oil, dispersants, and oil plus dispersants on shrimp, minnows, and silverside fish, researchers found that oil plus a dispersant, in this case Corexit 9500, had an equal or lower toxicity than just the oil. However, this test was to reflect a one-time application of dispersant. When dispersant is continuously applied, effects of toxicity are more readily seen in the test species. The longer the dispersant is applied, the more toxic it becomes (Fuller et al., 2004).

Water Temperature

• Studies have shown a direct correlation between water temperature and wildlife's sensitivity to oil dispersants. The warmer the water is, the more toxic the oil dispersants are to aquatic life. In studies, both grass shrimp and scallops were able to withstand significantly higher concentrations of oil dispersants in water at lower temperatures. A 10 to 20C degree increase in water temperature dramatically increased their sensitivity to oil dispersants (George-Ares 2000).
• Current Gulf of Mexico Water Temperatures from NOAA

Concentration of Dispersant

• The higher the concentration of oil dispersants in water, measured in parts per million (ppm), the more likely it is for the dispersants to affect wildlife. Certain species can withstand very high concentrations of oil dispersants, while others show negative impacts at very low concentrations. Negative effects on particular aquatic species have been shown to be reversible at low concentrations, but the higher the concentration, the more likely that the effects will be irreversible (Scarlett et al., 2005).
• The maximum recorded concentration of oil dispersants in open water is 13ppm (Scarlett et al., 2005). Studies have shown that in many cases the oil dispersant concentrations are less than 1 ppm within hours of application (George-Ares 2000).
  

Geography and Type of Water Body

• Areas where water is more stagnant or protected, such as estuaries, enclosed bays, and reefs, are more susceptible to high concentrations of oil dispersants than more open or large bodies of water.
• Without wave action and turbidity, oil dispersants have a lower rate of dissipation (Scarlett et al., 2005).

References

Buchanan, Susan. "Dispersants Add to Gulf Spill's Toxi Threats." The Louisiana Weekly. 1 June 2010. Web. 01 June 2010. <http://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=2862>.

"CDC - Oil Spill Response - Dispersant Information for Health Professionals." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 19 May 2010. Web. 03 June 2010. <http://emergency.cdc.gov/gulfoilspill2010/dispersants_hcp_info.asp>.

US EPA EPA Response to BP Spill in the Gulf of Mexico http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

Fuller, Chris, James Bonner, Cheryl Page, Andrew Ernest, Thomas McDonald, and Susanne McDonald. "Comparative Toxicity of Oil, Dispersant, and Oil plus Dispersant to Several Marine Species." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23.12 (2004): 2941-2949.

George-Ares, A., and J. R. Clark. "Aquatic Toxicity of Two Corexit Dispersants." Chemosphere 40 (2000): 897-906.

Incardona, John P., Tracy K. Collier, and Nathaniel L. Scholz. "Defects in Cardiac Function Preceded Morphological Abnormalities in Fish Embryos Exposed to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons." Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 196.2: 191-205.

Jung, Jee Hyun, Un Hyuk Yim, Gi Myeong Han, and Won Joon Shim. "Biochemical Changes in Rockfish, Sebastes Schlegeli, Exposed to Dispersed Crude Oil." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C.150 (2009): 218-23.

Ramachandran, Shahunthala D., Peter V. Hodson, Colin W. Khan, and Ken Lee. "Oil Dispersant Increases PAH Uptake of Fish Exposed to Crude Oil." Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 59 (2004): 300-08.

Scarlett, Alan, Tamara S. Galloway, Martin Canty, Emma L. Smith, Johanna Nilsson, and Steven J. Rowland. "Comparative Toxicity of Two Oil Dispersants, Superdispersant-25 and Corexit 9527, to a Range of Coastal Species." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 24.5 (2005): 1219-227.

Torrice, Michael. "Cleaning up the Gulf Oil Spill." Chemical and Engineering News 88.20 (2010):36-37.

Breaking News Stories

Oil Dispersant News from Environmental Health News

Environmental Health News ( Links to articles in today's press about environmental health. Many more links available today at www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org )
Empty nets in Louisiana three years after the spill. About two-thirds of U.S. oysters come from the Gulf Coast. But in the three years since the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon blew up and sank about 80 miles south of here, fishermen say many of the oyster reefs are still barren, and some other commercial species are harder to find.
Three years later, coastal communities still struggling with impacts of oil spill. As we mark the horrible event that forever changed the lives and livelihoods of so many on our coastline, and consider investments in our future, it's imperative to ensure these communities are at the table.
Why is the toxic dispersant used after BP's Gulf disaster still the cleanup agent of choice in the US? Great Britain, the home country of BP, has banned the stuff. So has Sweden. But BP says as long as the US allows it, they'll use Corexit dispersant on their next oil spill.
Dead dolphins and shrimp with no eyes found after BP clean-up. Hundreds of beached dolphin carcasses, shrimp with no eyes, contaminated fish, ancient corals caked in oil and some seriously unwell people are among the legacies that scientists are still uncovering in the wake of BP's Deepwater Horizon spill.
BP shareholders urge stronger fight against "extortionate" Gulf spill claims. Angry British shareholders of oil giant BP urged the company Thursday to be more forceful in its legal fight against tens of billions of dollars in claims still being asserted by the U.S. government and several Gulf states affected by the 2010 oil spill.
Deepwater Horizon: Gulf of Mexico 'deep-cleaned' itself. New details have emerged about "self-cleaning" effects in the Gulf of Mexico witnessed in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Damage from BP spill still surfacing. This is no time to open more of the gulf to the unknown danger of oil drilling. Developing renewable energies and working harder on the conservation front must be the nation's new priority.
National Wildlife Federation says environmental effects of BP spill far from over. Two weeks before the third anniversary of the BP Gulf oil spill, the National Wildlife Federation has issued a report declaring that the environmental effects are far from over and recommending ways to respond to lingering impacts and prevent future spills.
Make BP pay to restore Gulf. Whether the Gulf oil spill trial results in a decision or a settlement, the outcome will send a signal about how serious this country is about enforcing its common-sense rules that guarantee clean air and waters.
After the spill: The environment and economy of the Gulf. In July 2010, the oil spill caused by the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion fouled beaches and wetlands, killed wildlife, and ruined seafood businesses. Nearly three years later, as the civil trial against BP begins, those who live and work in the area continue to feel the disaster's effects.
BP oil spill trial begins Monday in New Orleans almost three years after one of the worst spills in U.S. history. The long-awaited civil trial against BP and its partners in the ill-fated Macondo oil well is slated to begin Monday in federal court in New Orleans, setting the stage for a three-month proceeding to assign liability potentially worth tens of billions of dollars.
Oil money takes US academy into uncharted waters. Breaking its 150-year-old tradition as a prominent scientific advisory group for the U.S. government, the National Academy of Sciences is quietly preparing to launch a $500-million, 30-year initiative to study environmental science and human health in the wake of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil dispersants used during Gulf spill degrade slowly in cold water. According to a new study, the key ingredient in dispersants degrades very rapidly under conditions similar to those found at the Gulf surface during the spill. But in the much colder temperatures found in the deep sea, the breakdown is quite slow.
BP research dollars yield signs of cautious hope. Here's an unfamiliar group of victims hard hit by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill tragedy: insects and spiders.
Researchers debate oil-spill remedy. No aspect of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill was more controversial than the decision to pump massive doses of chemical dispersant into the oil gushing from 1,500 metres down. Advocates said that the mixture would separate the deep oil plume into finer droplets, speeding its breakdown. Critics feared damage to deep-water ecosystems.