17. Health effects of Oil spills Flashcards
(39 cards)
Where was deepwater horizon oil spill
Gulf of mexico
near mississippi delta US
how much oil was spilled
4.9 million barrels
210 US gallons
780,000 m3
how did oil spill happen
wellhead blowout
how many people got injured and died from oil spill
11 killed
17 injured
whos fault was deepwater horizon oil spill?
BP
rig operator Transocean
COntracter Halliburton
what were companies blamed for
gross negligence
cost-cutting decisions
inadequate safety systems
Health effects by deepwater horizon oil spill
Marine and wildlife damage
fishing and tourism affected
has the oil been tried to removed
yes 4.9 million pounds was removed from Louisiana, and double after
reached Florida panhandle and tampa bay
where is the oil embedded
it is embedded in sand
how were marine animals affected
so many dolphins died
dying 6 times normal rate
how were fish affected
tuna deformed heart
life shortening organs
cardiotoxicity
what is the poster animal for spill
turtle, affects at early age
main effects of oil on birds
cannot thermoregulate
spend all time preening
what is baseline data
data about area prior to an event or disaster
what is corexit?
Chemical dispersant
sinks to sea floor when mixed with oil
toxicity dispute
physical evidence of oil spill still found in gulf coast. evidence?
Oily sea foam
tar balls
what are medical issues mentioned in video
chronic cough
skin rash
memory loss
what did the oil spill do to real estate market
houses stayed long on housign market
what were some ways used to contain and eliminate the oil spill
Spreading oil using…
1. Skimmer ships
2. Floating containment booms
3. Controlled burns
4. Oil eating microbes
5. 1.84 million of oil dispersant called Corexit
what is containment booms
Containment booms
become barriers for the farms and land
only work in calm waters
since 3 or 4 foot waves can move the boom, it was ineffective most times
what is corexit a mixture of
Emulsifiers and solvents
breaks oil to small droplets and then dispersed in water so microbes can degrade
how does corexit affect marine life
exposure to underwater animals can be harmed by toxicity of oil and dispersant
approved by EPA
what is the airlift that sprayed corexit on the oil spill
910th Airlift wing that specializes in aerial spray
Concerns of corexit
- carcinocegnic ingredients
- hazardous toxins
- endocrine disrupting chemical