English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Dispersed oil has now been shown to have a ‘half-life’ of 10–30 days in numerous lab and field-based experiments. On the other hand, the biodegradation of floating oil slicks is much slower, and unless dispersed by heavy weather or the addition of chemical dispersants, spilled oil will likely strand on a shoreline where it may persist for years. Dispersants are designed to mix into the oil to lower the interfacial tension between the oil and the seawater, allowing even minor turbulence to generate small droplets that have essentially neutral buoyancy. Whether droplets are generated by breaking waves in the absence of added dispersants, or by much less turbulence after dispersant application, the enormous volume of seawater available for dilution impedes the coalescence of the droplets. Droplet formation stimulates biodegradation by dramatically increasing the oil surface area for microbial colonization. Even though the majority of peer-reviewed literature strongly indicates that chemical dispersants have minimal effects once oil is dispersed, a sub-set of publications report negative effects of dispersants on microorganisms and oil biodegradation. It is likely that differences in experimental design and expectations have led to different conclusions regarding the effects of dispersants. As interest in oil spill response grows throughout the scientific community, it is important to understand how similar scientific questions have led to varying conclusions. Here we highlight the importance of experimental design and how the use of specific methods can produce apparently contradictory results. Various methods from numerous publications involving the fate of undispersed oil and dispersed oil will be compared and contrasted. We will focus on specific details of experimental design that impact the results and conclusions of various oil biodegradation studies, such as temperature, concentration, media storage, and substrate handling. An emphasis will be placed on experimental relevance and challenges associated with replicating real world phenomena in the laboratory.

Contradictory Conclusions Surrounding the Effects of Chemical Dispersants on Oil Biodegradation