What happens to oil spills in sea water?
• Every oil spill in the marine environment is unique, because every time oil enters the sea a number of factors will decide the physical, chemical and biological degradation of the oil in that particular area. Some of these factors are the composition (what kind of oil) and amount of oil discharged; the quantity and duration of the discharge/spill; the time of year at which it occurs; the temperature of the air and the receiving water body; the weather conditions; the properties of the shore line (rocky, sandy, mud flats, mangroves, etc.); the amount of oil-degrading micro-organisms in the area; and the supply of oxygen in the water. Once the oil is in the sea water, a number of things can happen these processes are called weathering, spreading, dispersion, evaporation, dissolution, biodegradation, sedimentation, emulsification, dissolution, oxidation, biodegradation, and much more.
