The underground oil spills are more difficult to catch and yet may be more problematic (oil may reach groundwater more easily and travel with it). , How Does High-pressure, Hot-water Washing Clean up Spilled Oil? 20, 2014, pp. When oil eventually stops floating on the … We can prevent oil spillage by enforcing environmental laws and regulations, providing adequate training for oil handlers, carrying out routine checks on oil equipment, and carrying out proper maintenance on vessels and storage tanks. Opponents worried about the possible effects of an oil spill on land in a protected habitat. In general, oil spills can affect animals and plants in two ways: from the oil itself and from the response or cleanup operations. Despite massive clean-up efforts following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, for example, a study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that 26,000 gallons of oil were still trapped in the sand along the Alaska shoreline. Scientists conducting the study determined that residual oil was declining at less than four percent annually. PAH, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is a chemical that is carcinogenic in high concentrations and can interfere with biological processes. The effect of oil pollution is disastrous, especially on the aquatic flora and fauna. If appropriate authorities fail to act fast, the economic effects of oil spill may become catastrophic. Prevailing weather conditions will also influence the oil’s physical characteristics and its behaviour. That spill is considered the most infamous oil spill in U.S. history -- although the 2010 BP leak in the Gulf of Mexico proved to be even worse, surpassing Exxon Valdez in scale. Of the 126 workers at the site that day, 11 were killed by the blast. The effects of an oil spill will depend on a variety of factors including, the quantity and type of oil spilled, and how it interacts with the marine environment. U.S. Department of the Interior. This is seen in animals in the immediate vicinity of the oil spill and also by animals farther up the food chain. 56–59, doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.05.043, Harwell, Mark A., and John H. Gentile. “How Does Oil Impact Marine Life?.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This affects the marine animals as there is less oxygen in water. Prevailing weather conditions will also influence the oil’s physical characteristics and its behaviour. Abstract: The Guimaras oil spill was a massive oil spill at the Guimaras Strait, the Philippines. Due to water pollution, immunity of the marine animals reduces leading to its death. 94, 2015, pp. The environmental effects of The BP oil spill as measured thus far are already more dynamic than anything ever seen before in US history. Understanding both types of impacts can help spill responders minimize overall impacts to ecological communities and help them to recover much more quickly. An oil spill can have a major impact on the economy in coastal areas. If the spill is severe it may take the land years to recover, during which time it is toxic to most plants and animals. Oil spills have major environmental and economic effects. Oil-covered birds are a universal symbol of environmental damage wreaked by oil spills. This means more barrels have to be imported from other countries. One drawback with this system is that a number of bacteria are created which break down the hydrocarbons. Lasting damage to lands and waterways is one major negative consequence when oil finds its way into the environment. [Ari Labadi/Al Jazeera] Of note, tarballs can also be produced from places … Spill’s Effects Underwater. The oil spill in Cebu, although locally significant, pales in comparison to major oil spill disasters in human history. Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. The overall cost and challenge of cleaning up an oil spill is enormous. Oil Spills Effect On Wildlife. Understanding both types of impacts can help spill responders minimize overall impacts to ecological communities and help them to recover much more quickly. Damage to stocks as a result of toxic or smothering effects of the oil … The fishing industry can be heavily affected by an oil spill. Every time an oil spill occurs, the public looses faith in the oil companies' ability to control this dangerous but needed product. Even when lethal impacts are not observed, oil can make fish and shellfish unsafe for humans to eat. On a basic level, oil spill effects will damage waterways, marine life and plants and animals on the land. The damage is hard to measure and contain, since it can effect complex ecosystems and spread if introduced to underground water. Fingas, Merv F. (Editor). Background information for ocean affairs workshop on inputs, fates, and effects of petroleum in the marine environment, May 1973, Airlie, Virginia. Given below are various possible adverse effects of oil pollution. When exposed to oil, adult fish may experience reduced growth, enlarged livers, changes in heart and respiration rates, fin erosion, and reproduction impairment. Jason Chavis has been a professional freelance writer since 1998. One preferred method is the introduction of microorganisms that cause the oil to herd to the surface and turn into an almost gel-like substance. These effects can be aggravated by severe weather conditions.An example in this sense is the Murphy oil spill (due to the failure of a storage tank at the Murphy Oil USA refinery) that had particularly affected residential areas in Louisiana. Following an oil spill, there are specialists and veterinarians to deal with oiled wildlife. It was dubbed as the worst oil spill ever in the Philippines. Damage to ecosystem: Oil pollution is a major threat to our ecosystem, especially the aquatic ecosystem. Controlled burning can also be used. 2 Oil Spill Effects on Fisheries. Even a small amount of oil can be deadly to a bird. By coating feathers, oil not only makes flying impossible but also destroys birds' natural waterproofing and insulation, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia or overheating. As birds frantically preen their feathers to restore their natural protections, they often swallow oil, which can severely damage their internal organs and lead to death. The best estimate of the Exxon Valdez oil spill is that it killed 250,000 seabirds.. Surface oil spills are easy to identify and will leave visible traces such as oil stains, as well as other characteristic signs such as odors due to the vapors emitted by the spilled oil. Oil spill can be of two different categories – the land spillage and the aquatic spillage – but they all have a negative impact on both the environment and the society in general. 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