Publication Date:
2022-05-27
Description:
© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Quigg, A., Farrington, J. W., Gilbert, S., Murawski, S. A., & John, V. T. A decade of GoMRI dispersant science: lessons learned and recommendations for the future. Oceanography, 34(1), (2021): 98–111, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2021.119.
Description:
Dispersants are among a number of options available to oil spill responders. The goals of this technique are to remove oil from surface waters in order to reduce exposure of surface-dwelling organisms, to keep oil slicks from impacting sensitive shorelines, and to protect responders from volatile organic compounds. During the Deepwater Horizon response, unprecedented volumes of dispersants (Corexit 9500 and 9527) were both sprayed on surface slicks from airplanes and applied directly at the wellhead (~1,500 m water depth). A decade of research followed, leading to a deeper understanding of dispersant effectiveness, fate, and effects. These studies resulted in new knowledge regarding dispersant formulations, efficacy, and effects on organisms and processes at a broad range of exposure levels, and about potential environmental and human impacts. Future studies should focus on the application of high volumes of dispersants subsea and the long-term fate and effects of dispersants and dispersed oil. In considering effects, the research and applications of the knowledge gained should go beyond concerns for acute toxicity and consider sublethal impacts at all levels of biological organization. Contingency planning for the use of dispersants during oil spill response should consider more deeply the temporal duration, effectiveness (especially of subsurface applications), spatial reach, and volume applied.
Description:
The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. We thank all those who participated as we worked to synthesize the syntheses of dispersant work by those funded by GoMRI. We also acknowledge the time and wisdom shared by Chuck Wilson (GoMRI), Peter Brewer (MBARI), Ann Hayward Walker (SEA Consulting Group), Nancy Kinner (Coastal Response Research Center), Victoria Broje (Shell Projects and Technology, Houston), Jürgen Rullkötter (University of Oldenburg, Germany), Claire B. Paris-Limouzy (University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science), Michael Schlueter (Technische Universität Hamburg), and Peter Santschi (Texas A&M University at Galveston). In addition, this synthesis effort would not have been possible without the tremendous support of Michael Feldman (Consortium for Ocean Leadership), who kept us all moving along with an iron fist and gentle laugh. Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5 were prepared by the amazing Natalie Renier (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution).
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Article
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