Mapping Oil Pollution Data Shows Humans are Responsible for 90% of Oil Slicks

A team of US and Chinese scientists studying oil pollution throughout the world's seas discovered that humans are responsible for more than 90% of persistent oil slicks, a significantly greater percentage than previously thought.

Their study, which was published in Science, is a significant update on prior studies into marine oil pollution, which suggested that around half of the contamination came from human sources and the other half from natural sources.

The frequency with which they identified these floating oil slicks from minor releases, ships, pipelines, natural sources such as seeps in the ocean floor, and then also from regions where industry or communities produce runoff with floating oil is striking.

Oil slicks are caused by human activities

(Photo : CRISTINA VEGA RHOR/AFP via Getty Images)

Oil slicks are very thin coatings of oil on the ocean's surface.

They can be caused by large oil spills, but they are also created widely and continually by human activities and natural sources, as per ScienceDaily.

Wind and currents are constantly moving these short-lived oil patches around, while waves break them apart, making investigations difficult.

The researchers employed artificial intelligence to explore and analyze over 560,000 satellite radar pictures acquired between 2014 and 2019.

They were able to pinpoint the location, scope, and likely sources of chronic oil contamination as a result of this.

Even a small amount of oil may have a significant influence on plankton, which is the foundation of the ocean food chain.

According to Yongxue Liu, a professor at Nanjing University's School of Geographic and Oceanographic Science and the corresponding author, satellite technology offers a technique to better monitor ocean oil pollution, especially in seas where human monitoring is difficult.

To decrease oil pollution, a global view can assist concentrate policy and enforcement.

Satellite imagery's usefulness may provide a solution. Most oil slicks were discovered around beaches, according to researchers.

Within 25 miles of the coast, half of the oil slicks were found, and 90% were within 100 miles.

The researchers discovered that the Gulf of Mexico has fewer oil slicks than other parts of the world, implying that government control and enforcement, as well as compliance from oil platform operators in US waters, limit leakage.

Also Read: Oil Spill the Size of New York City Poses Risk to Marine Life in Mediterranean Sea

Why oil spills is dangerous?

The amount and kind of oil spilled, as well as the location of the spill, the types of plants, animals, and ecosystems present there, may all impact how much damage an oil spill causes.

Oil spills wreak havoc on marine life in two ways.

Fouling or oiling happens when oil causes physical damage to a plant or animal.

Oil can cover a bird's wings, rendering it impossible to fly, or rob a sea otter's fur of its insulating characteristics, placing it at risk of hypothermia.

The degree of oiling has a significant influence on the animal's survival prospects.

Many distinct hazardous chemicals can be found in oil. Heart damage, stunted development, immune system impacts, and even death can all be caused by these hazardous substances.

The impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster have added to our knowledge of oil toxicity.

Oil spill response frequently includes wildlife recovery, cleaning, and rehabilitation.

Wildlife can be difficult to locate and capture, oil spills can occur across large areas, and certain creatures (such as whales) are too large to recover.

Unfortunately, rescuing all species affected by oil accidents is impractical.