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ed. Some percentage of the oil entering the Gulf from the wellhead was
both naturally and chemically dispersed at depth, and this very dilute
dispersed oil resides and is being degraded in deep water. All of these
factors presented scientific and engineering challenges when figuring
out how to most effectively mitigate this horrible event.
Human cleanup options consisted mostly of using Corexit® 9500 to dis-
perse the oil on the surface and at the wellhead. In situ burning and
skimming tactics were also used. Dispersing surface oil in offshore
waters certainly speeds up biodegradation, but it also spreads oil with-
in the top 10-20 meters of the water column where marine animal
exposure occurs. Dispersing surface oil most certainly mitigated the
potential impacts of floating oil on marshy coastlines and sandy beach-
es along the northern Gulf coastline. It also fueled a massive natural off-
shore biological treatment process that, as we are now seeing, is rapid-
ly degrading residual spilled oil and allowing the Gulf’s environment to
recuperate from this massive assault.
Tens of thousands of scientists, engineers, and response personnel
worked tirelessly 24/7 to mitigate this spill. Analytical chemists, using
techniques like GC/MS, UV fluorescence, and HPLC, played a critical role
in guiding response efforts, following the environmental impacts, and
ensuring the safety of the seafood harvested from the Gulf region.
Analytical chemists are essential in responding to massive environmen-
tal disasters, like oil spills, and in monitoring environmental damage
and ecological recovery. Thank God for analytical chemists, their
impressive technologies, and all the supply companies that support
high quality chemical analysis.
Find expert advice on analyzing oil spill
samples on our BLOG :
• Crude oil
• Dispersants
• Extractable petroleum hydrocarbons
• PAHs
• Oil contaminated seafood
Visit
ChromaBLOGraphy
Bringing Back
the Bluebirds
Restek chemist Mike Wittrig, a life-long bird enthusiast, has
been supplying local bluebirds and tree swallows with nest-
ing habitat for the past 9 years. What started as a backyard
hobby quickly expanded to local parks, and also to the
Restek campus where heworks with the facilitymaintenance
team to locate nesting boxes in prime locations. “Over the
years I’ve learned the importance of both nest box location
and spacing in improving reproductive success rates by lim-
iting competition from sparrows,” says Mike. Local initiatives
like Mike’s project have helped bring Eastern Bluebird popu-
lations back to healthy levels, following a critical midcentury
decline due to habitat destruction and nesting competition.
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Website : E-mail : TelNo : 03 9762 2034 . . . in AUSTRALIA