Oceanography The Official Magazine of
The Oceanography Society
Volume 29 Issue 03

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Volume 29, No. 3
Pages 108 - 117

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The Role of Dispersants in Oil Spill Remediation: Fundamental Concepts, Rationale for Use, Fate, and Transport Issues

By Vijay John , Carol Arnosti, Jennifer Field, Elizabeth Kujawinski , and Alon McCormick 
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Article Abstract

Offering a scientific perspective, this paper provides a rationale for the use of dispersants in oil spill remediation by discussing their formulations and modes of action and connecting their physics and chemistry to a their environmental fates and impacts. With the first use of dispersants at the source of the oil release during the Deepwater Horizon incident, there is a new great need for understanding the efficiency and the environmental impacts of their use. The paper concludes with some cautionary recommendations on dispersant research.

Citation

John, V., C. Arnosti, J. Field, E. Kujawinski, and A. McCormick. 2016. The role of dispersants in oil spill remediation: Fundamental concepts, rationale for use, fate, and transport issues. Oceanography 29(3):108–117, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2016.75.

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