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Oil molecules naturally cling together. The binding forces are called the molecular cohesive forces. The dispersant mixes with water, helping to break apart the oil on the surface of the water.
It does not really remove the oil from the water. It attempts to reduce the harmful effects of the spill and assist in the natural dispersion or mixing of oil and water.
As shown in one of the links, there are toxic effects of dispersants on coral rocks which have marine biologists very concerned.
See related link. Also, BP has a fact sheet under Joint Information Center webpage on the chemical composition of the dispersants.
What else can I help you with?
How do people clean up an oil spill?
we can help clean the oil spill by volunteering to help clean the animals who have oil on them.
What can you do about an oil spill?
clean it up :)
What can you do about oil spill?
clean it up :)
How do you clean Armor All spill on floor?
how do you clean up a an armoral spill in kitchen
How could the gulf of Mexico spill be cleaned up faster?
This has been an area of controversy particularly during the months of May and June, when oil was appearing in the wetlands of Louisiana. In the media during this time, both BP and the US governmental agencies, including the US Coast Guard, the EPA and NOAA were blamed for not taking sufficient action to clean up the spill. Almost immediately after the spill, BP stated their strategy as: (1) the oil had to be stopped from coming out of the well, (2) the oil on the surface would be reduced by use of skimmers, control burning and dispersants, and the movement restrained by use of booms (3) the washed up oil on beaches and marshes had to be removed. The clean up action was massive, but there were notable successes and failures. If the remotely operated vehicles (ROV's) had worked to shut in the well at the blow out preventer, there might have been a 9 day oil spill instead of the 100 day oil spill. The large containment dome, also did not work as planned. This would have reduced the amount of oil spilled and made clean up operations easier. Also, there was insufficient oil booms at the time of the spill. It was necessary to fabricate more oil booms. Today, these oil booms have stored and BP has stated that they can be used by any oil company that needs them in the future. There were delays in the use of dispersants, due to environmental concerns. Whether this delayed clean up efforts is controversial, as dispersants have environmental risks. See related links.
If you spill salt what should you do?
Clean it up
How much did the torrey canyon clean up cost?
The Torrey Canyon oil spill clean-up in 1967 cost around £6 million, which is about $16 million in today's currency. The operation involved a range of methods, including oil dispersants, beach cleaning, and controlled burning.
What three methods were used to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill?
There was no clean-up. The shipwreck took place on an isolated coastline in Baja California in 1957.
I see a lot of ads for paper towels, but which one really is the best for spill clean up?
It has to be Bounty. One sheet will serve as the best spill clean up device you'll ever have! It has to be Brawny. They make the thickest sheets for spill clean up. I'd probably use another brand just as a napkin or something like that, but for spill clean up, go with Brawny.
How did they clean up the Guimaras oil spill?
jo
How do you find a way to clean oil from water without creating a bigger mess?
Removal of an oil spill from a water surface is not easy. In the current oil spill, oil is still coming out of the well (as of May 19) making the situation even more difficult. Oil slicks can be skimmed off and there are a number of skimmers available. The combination of skimmers, dispersants and containment booms are the most conventional means of cleaning up a small spill. Controlled burns have been used in the Gulf. This can eliminate large amounts of oil, but must be very regulated for safety and environmental reasons. Dispersants attempt to break up large oil spills, to promote dispersal and degradation by sea water. The use of dispersants in the current spill are being carefully regulated, because if not applied appropriately, they can create additional problems. Bacterial solutions are usually used for contaminated beaches or as done in Alaska, along the rocky coastline. See related link.
What is one way you can clean up an oil spill?
you use cotton and dish soap to clean it up.
