Dispersant Recovery

Dispersants to clean oil

• The use of dispersants in the recovery• The effect of the dispersants on the recovery• The recovery from the dispersants

Dispersant• The main dispersant used in Gulf was Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527,

produced by Nalco– Nalco portrays itself as a company striving for sustainable solutions to industrial

problems.

• The dispersants work by both being attracted to the water and oil to lower the surface tension of the oil slick to allow for the oil to dissolve.

• dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate is the component that has taken the longest to break down in the gulf water.

Use• Dispersants were originally sanctioned by the EPA

– Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator, acknowledges that, "So far the data show we haven't done any damage and actually we've helped with dispersion and used a lot less of the chemical in the process” (nola.com)

• Used then under the surface, never done before.– Lisa Jackson "none of the testing that was done prior to this incident was what I'd call

extensive and geared toward the long-term effects or effects in the sub-sea.“ (nola.com)

• The idea was to break up the oil before it reached the surface.

Effects• Broke up the oil on the surface.

– Intended to let oil settle to the bottom– Created large dead zones

• 2 inches of oil on the sea floor. – Discovered by Samantha Joye of the university of Georgia

• This is killing many of the filter feeders living on the bottom of the sea.

• Samantha Joye, “only about 10% of the oil was consumed by microbes”

• gulfblog.uga.edu

Nalco• Nalco Material Safety Data Sheet.

– Do not take internally– Handle with protective clothing and gloves– Use respirator or half face mask when concentrations exceed given

limits• 5-10 Mg/m^3

– States that none of the component are listed as know carcinogens– It does have the tendency to bio accumulate– All this information is for short term spills, not months of exposure– The report states that human risk is low

– http://www.lmrk.org/corexit_9500_uscueg.539287.pdf

Affects• Not being broken down

– The reduction to concentration is due to the dilution over the vast area of the Gulf.

• Human illness– Exposure comes from inhalation, ingestion, and skin or eye contact

• Nalco Material Data Safety Sheet– “BIOACCUMULATION POTENTIAL: Component substances have a

potential to bio concentrate”

• http://www.lmrk.org/corexit_9500_uscueg.539287.pdf

Lessons

• BP took control of the cleanup• Need an organization with broader concerns

BP stock prices (msnbc.com)

Alternatives• No Dispersants• Environmentally friendly dispersant

– Dispersit, made by PolyChem– Water based

• 100% effective on Louisiana crude by EPA– Corexit is 54%

• BP tested small amounts but never ordered a significant supply.

Closing• Dispersant used• Problems• Recovery from dispersant• Lessons/ alternatives

Questions

Reference

• Collage– http://www.itopf.com/spill-response/clean-up-and-response/dispersants/– http://www.businessinsider.com/16-burning-questions-about-the-oil-spill-that-we-deserve-some-answers-

to-2010-6?op=1– http://www.suite101.com/content/gulf-oil-spill-dispersant-rally-clean-gulf-a297695– http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/dispersant-confusion/– http://www.examiner.com/environmental-health-in-tampa-bay/gulf-oil-spill-clean-up-method

s-push-1-84-million-gallons-of-toxic-chemicals- across-tampa-florida

– http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/how-do-oil-dispersants-work– http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/02/20/bp_oil_spill_lingers

• Articles– http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/01/27/27greenwire-study-undersea-dispersant-in-gulf-

of-mexico-li-64092.html– http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0221-hance_oilspill.html– http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/subsea_dispersants_the_ricght.ht

ml– http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/10/27-8– http://www.lmrk.org/corexit_9500_uscueg.539287.pdf