A model to predict rate of dissolution of toxic compounds into seawater from an oil spill
From International Journal of Toxicology
As we witness with dismay the media images of the environmental consequences of the current large scale oil spills there is an urgency to find effective ways of dealing with such incidents. Hundreds of oil spills occur every year, the effects can be severe and long term. The Gulf War oil spill was one of the worst in history, the exact size of the spill remains unknown; however, the estimate of 6 to 8 millions of barrels is most referenced. The severity of spills depend on the type and amount of oil as well as environmental conditions such as temperature and wind and water speeds. This paper proposes a model to calculate the rate at which toxic components dissolve in seawater. The result could be helpful in the selection of an appropriate method for clean-up operations.
