CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF OIL SLICKS

The effectiveness and potential pollutional effects of chemicals and other materials used to disperse, sink, burn, or otherwise dissipate oil slicks are discussed. Agents considered are classed as: dispersants, floating sorbents, sinking agents, gelling agents and burning agents. Since many dispersants are presently available, much experience has been gained with the use of dispersants. However, dispersants should not be used indiscriminately, they may have deleterious effects on the ecology. It is necessary to determine the toxicity and the effectiveness of dispersants viz-a-viz the same characteristics of the oil without dispersants. Practical experience with gelling, burning, floating and sinking agents is limited. Some of the many commercial products and natural materials used in connection with recent large oil spills are reported.

• Corporate Authors:

  Edison Water Quality Laboratory

  Environmental Protection Agency
  Edison, NJ  United States 
• Publication Date: 1969-5

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Dispersers; Gels; Oil spill cleanup; Oil spills; Toxicity
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil gelling agents; Oil sinking agents; Oil spill dispersants
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00019663
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 1 1973 12:00AM