Unit 7: Oil Pollution

Question 1

Sources of oil pollution

Answer 1

Spills, oil tankers, offshore drilling, natural releases.

Question 2

Environmental effects of oil pollutants

Answer 2

Kills many organisms, oil remains in water, less reproduction, and damage to coastal ecosystems.

Question 3

Economic effects of oil pollution

Answer 3

Expensive to clean and fix damage, loss of commercially important fish.

Question 4

Remediation of oil pollution

Answer 4

Mammals and waterfowl cleaned by hand, contain the oil then suck it off surface water, apply chemicals to breakup the oil before it hits the coastline, burning oil slicks, genetically engineered bacteria, specially designed sponges.

Question 5

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (1989)

Answer 5

Super tanker crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound, AK. 42 million liters (11 million gallons). Half a million birds and thousands of marine mammals killed.

Question 6

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010)

Answer 6

Explosion at a BP Oil Rig in the Gulf of Mexico. 780 million liters (206 million gallons) in 87 days. 6,000 sea turtles, 26,000 marine mammals, 82,000 birds killed.

Question 7

What is oil?

Answer 7

A hydrocarbon.