Home » Science & Nature » Science for Students » Oil Spills - A Water Pollution Investigation

Oil Spills - A Water Pollution Investigation

© Angela Plumb

In 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez hit a reef and released over 10 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. The damage to the environment was substantial - more that 30,000 sea birds were killed, as well as over 100 bald eagles and 1,000 otters. The Exxon Valdez isn't the only tanker involved in an accidental oil spill. Check your local library or use the internet to research about recent oil spills.

Why is an oil spill so dangerous? Crude oil is made of many components - some are toxic, some are harmless, some evaporate, some sink and some float. The toxic substances, such are benzene and toluene, poison the animals that live and eat in the water. Sticky oil coatings cover some marine animals and destroys their insulation and ability to float (buoyancy). These animals freeze to death, or drown. The oil clogs the gills of fishes, so they can't obtain oxygen to live. Animals that aren't directly in the oil spill may be affected because they eat animals who are.

Try this activity - it simulates an oil spill and looks at the different ways of clean up.

My Very Own Oil Spill

Purpose: To build an island and create a small oil spill. To use a variety of materials to clean up the oil spill and determine which ones are effective, and which ones are not.

Materials:
-an aluminum cooking pan (10" x 14") or a metal cooking pan
-island materials: rocks, sticks, styrofoam nuggets, feathers (preferably waterfowl), animal fur (may be available from hobby shops or dog/cat hair can be used)
-magnifying glass
-medicine droppers
-oil : vegetable, or motor oil
-cleaning materials: dishwashing detergents or soaps (try different brands), laundry detergents, baking soda, borax, sponges, gauze, cotton balls, paper towels, cotton swabs, pieces of cloth
-newspapers (for tablecloths - you don't want to make a REAL mess!)

Procedure:

1. Build your island using the island materials in the cooking pan. You can build the island anyway you wish - for example, some rocks could be submerged, others could be completely dry. The variety that you can have shows that different environments can be affected by oil spills - they can happen anywhere in the world.

2. Add water to surround the "island".

3. Examine the fur and feathers with the magnifying glass and write down your observations. Make a note of the colour, texture and other characteristics. Use the medicine droppers and water to test the fur and feathers - do they repel water? Or absorb the water?

The copyright of the article Oil Spills - A Water Pollution Investigation in Science for Students is owned by . Permission to republish Oil Spills - A Water Pollution Investigation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.