Oil pollution refers to the release of oil into the ocean. The source of the oil is more often than not due to human activity. The term is usually used to refer to oil pollution in the oceans but can also refer to oil pollution on land.
Why is Oil Insoluble in Water?
Oil is composed of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are insoluble in water because water is a polar molecule and hydrocarbons are non-polar. The general dissolving rule is that ‘like dissolves in like’, since water and hydrocarbons are not the same type of molecule water cannot dissolve oil.
Figure 1: Non Polar Molecule Figure 2: Polar Molecule
Different Sources of Oil Pollution
Oil pollution comes from two …show more content…
• Indirect Oil Distribution: This is simply emissions from cars or planes that are products of oil that contain hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are molecules that are insoluble in water.
• Shipwrecks: ships or boats that have run aground and have not been recovered often release oil due to erosion of the engine compartment.
How to Deal With Oil Pollution
Due to the many different oils, there is no one way of dispersing of it. However there are four main methods used, which the person in charge of the clean-up can decide from. There are factors that need to be taken into account before a method can be chosen, some of these factors are:
• Wind
• Sea conditions (i.e. Waves and Currents)
• Location
• Type of oil
• And Potential Hazards
Methods of Clean Up:
• Containing the spill using booms and skimmers. This method is ideal for use when the ocean is calm. Booms are inflatable tubes which are used to gather the spilled oil whereupon skimmers then move in and ‘suck’ up the oil into containment …show more content…
The washing process can be broken down into two main sections: Washing and Rinsing. Throughout the cleaning process there is one person (The Holder) who holds the penguins’ flippers down with both hands while the other person (The Washer) controls the penguins head with their left hand and washes with their right. The process of cleaning can be extremely stressful for the penguin there for the moment the bird shows weakness or fatigue the cleaning process must stop. If the cleaning process has not been completed it can continue the following