Impact of Oil Spills

When I hear the word: oil spill, mind reckons the most infamous and the worst oil spill in history, The Gulf War oil spill. That was the year 1990, when the Iraqi forces opened the valves of Sea Island oil terminal, releasing tons of the natural source of energy into the Persian Gulf. And the event was recorded as one of the most disreputable oil spills in history. What followed was even more disturbing and ghastly oil spills effects! Well, the consequences which were apparently not thought of, had a great impact on the economy, environment and health of people world over.

Environmental Impact

An oil spill, be it intentional or accidental, has a deep impact on the environment. During oil spills in the ocean, the viscous liquid spreads on the sea surface, forming a cohesive oil slick. The volatile organic compounds evaporate and about 20-40% of the mass is lost in the process. A very small percentage may also dissolve in water. And then what remains behind is an oil residue, which over a period of time, forms a thick mousse on the water surface. Now some of the oil residue may congeal into sticky tar balls, which can be found floating in the water. And some of the oil waste disintegrates in sunlight (photolysis) and decomposes (bio degradation) into the sea waters.

This oil, when reaches the coastlines, further reacts with beach sand, rocks, boulders, vegetation and the terrestrial habitat of animals and plants, which is no less than contamination of living habitat. Because, the rocks, gravel, boulders found in the beach and coastlines protect the vegetation from getting eroded or contaminated. However, with effects of oil spill as stated here, the coastal life of animals and plants is at a huge risk of toxicity. One of the prime impacts of oil spills is toxic acid rains and erratic climate change, caused by oil vapors in the atmosphere.

Then there is the marine biome that is worst affected during an oil spill. In fact, this happens to be one of the stellar ocean pollution causes. The oil slick on the water surface disrupts oxygen supply to marine life, causing marine plants to die slowly. And the other aquatic life which feeds on this vegetation also perishes away gradually. Fish, clamps, mussels and oysters accumulate toxins in their body, which further kills subsequent members in the food chain. Mammals, like seals and otters, lose out the water resistant compounds from their coats due to the oil. Birds which are found along the coastlines find it difficult to fly due to the oil coating on their wings. Not only is the ecology disturbed big time, but major changes in weather are also observed, which happen to be some of the major impacts on the environment.

Economic Impact

Apart from the environmental front, economy of a country suffers a severe setback too. And the major one is the oil spill itself! Losing tons of oil, which is not only a natural source of energy but also a depletable source, has a severe impact on a country's economy. Besides the tourism industry also suffers a blow, following the event. This is because, post the spill, many recreational activities like scuba diving, boating, snorkeling and fishing are prohibited until the clean up is complete.

Not to miss out on the fisheries, which bear the maximum brunt of these oil spills. Fish, and other sea food sources are contaminated, which pose a health hazard. Also fishing areas remain closed until the clean up, as many of the fishing boats and equipment get damaged due to the oil slick. Also operations of industries like power plants, desalination plants and nuclear central stations are affected badly, as they use sea water for many of their commercial activities.

Health Impact

In any man-made disaster, health is sure to be affected. Oil, i.e crude oil, contains dangerous chemical compounds like benzene, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol butyl ether and hydro-treated light petroleum distillates. And exposure to these compounds can be perilous to health. It has been observed that people working in such polluted areas suffered from severe headaches, back pain, dizziness, dermatitis, watery eyes and strep throat. Also, the toxic compounds in oil damage the red blood cells in animals and cause severe respiratory problems. Besides, these compounds also have factored genetic toxicity in a few, which is even more dangerous.

It is not just by air, but also the contaminated sea food which is tangible reason for many food poisoning cases near beaches where traces of oil have occurred. In some cases, it has also been observed that mental health too, is bound to get severely affected by the aftermath of an oil spill. There have been some cases of suicide, where there were no known intentions, but are attributed to the deteriorating mental health caused by oil spill. So, be it plant, animal or human life, impacts of oil spill are lethal in nature. The most susceptible victims are aquatic life, vegetation by coastlines and cleaners who clear up the debris.

Such man-made disasters that aggravate environmental pollution, can surely be averted to prevent such cataclysmal consequences. After all, everything boils down to, 'Protect the nature, and you stay protected too!'