Interactive Primary Newsletter 21

Earth and Space     Materials from Earth

Distinguish between materials that are soluble and insoluble in water Level C Oil and water don’t mix We have all seen pictures on television of seabirds contaminated by oil from a damaged tanker , and wondered if the resultant mess can ever be cleared up. The answer is it will be, given time, but not before great damage could be done to both beaches and sea creatures. Oil is a natural product, so natural dispersion will take place. The action of wind and waves at the sea surface will eventually cause all, or part of a slick to break up. The oil forms droplets, which enter the water column and are gradually dispersed, but this can take a long time. To accelerate the process dispersants are dropped or sprayed on the slick. Dispersants contain surface active agents known as surfactants. One part of the molecule is attracted to oil (oleophilic) and the other to water (hydrophilic). Washing up liquid is an example of this type of product and enables us to model the clearing up of a miniature oil slick. Commercial dispersants contain other nasty chemicals and will perhaps cause harm to fish stocks and other sea life in both the short and long term. See  Water Pollution by Oil from SEPA .  untreated slick application of dispersant formation of small droplets dilution of dispersed oil Describe examples of human impact on the environment that have brought about beneficial changes and examples that have detrimental effects Level D

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