DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL
AISSCE:2023-24
Biology Investigatory Project
Topic: Effects of Oil Spills in Oceans
Name: Sayan Ghosh
Class: 12- Science
Roll No.:
Acknowledgement.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to
those individuals without whose encouragement
and support, this project would not have been
completed. I would like to express my immense
gratitude to the board for giving us the opportunity
to do this project which helped us to learn new
things. I would like to thank our respected
principal [Link] Kumar for his guidance and
encouragement. I would also like to thank our
Biology teacher [Link] Roy Rakshit for the
help and guidance she provided for completing the
investigatory project. I also thank my parents who
gave their ideas and inputs in making this project.
Lastly I would like to thank my school mates who
motivated me and helped me. Their support made
this project fruitful.
Content
1. Introduction
2. Oil Spill Behaviour
3. Oil Spills Kills Birds
4. Oil Spills Kills Marine Animals
5. Preventing Oil Spills
6. Controlling Oil Spills
7. Conclusion
8. Bibliography
Effects Of Oil Spills In Oceans
Introduction
An oil spill is the release of a
liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment,
especially the marine ecosystem, due to human
activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually
given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the
ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on
land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude
oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling
rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum
products (such as gasoline and diesel fuel) and their
by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such
as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste
oil.
Oil Spill Behavior
When oil is spilled in the ocean, it initially spreads in the
water, depending on its relative density and composition.
The oil slick formed may remain cohesive, or may break
up in the case of rough seas. Waves, water currents, and
wind force the oil slick to drift over large areas,
impacting the open ocean.
Oil that contains volatile organic compounds partially
evaporates, becoming denser and more viscous. A small
percentage of oil may dissolve in the water. The oil
residue also can disperse almost invisibly in the. Part of
the oil waste may sink with suspended particulate
matter, and the remainder eventually congeals into
sticky tar balls.
Oil Spills Kill Birds
Oil-covered birds are practically a universal symbol of
the environmental damage wreaked by oil spills. Some
species of shore birds may escape by relocating if they
sense the danger in time, but sea birds that swim and
dive for their food are sure to be covered in oil. Oil spills
also damage nesting grounds, which can have serious
long-term effects on entire species. They can even
disrupt migratory patterns by contaminating areas
where migrating birds normally stop.
By coating the feathers, oil not only makes it impossible
for birds to fly but also destroys their natural
waterproofing and insulation, leaving them vulnerable to
hypothermia or overheating. As the birds frantically try
to preen their feathers to restore their natural
protections they often swallow some of the oil, which can
severely damage their internal organs and lead to death.
Oil Spills Kill Marine Animals
Animals who rely on scent to find their babies or
mothers cannot do so due to the strong scent of the
oil. This causes a baby to be rejected and
abandoned, leaving the babies to starve and
eventually die. Oil can impair a bird's ability to fly,
preventing it from foraging or escaping from
predators. As they preen, birds may ingest the oil
coating their feathers, irritating the digestive tract,
altering liver function, and causing kidney damage.
Together with their diminished foraging capacity, this
can rapidly result
in dehydration and metabolic imbalance.
Preventing Oil Spills
Secondary containment – methods to prevent
releases of oil or hydrocarbons into the
environment.
Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures
(SPCC) program by the United State Environmental
Protection Agency.
Double-hulling – build double hulls into vessels,
which reduces the risk and severity of a spill in case
of a collision or grounding. Existing single-hull
vessels can also be rebuilt to have a double hull.
Thick-hulled railroad transport tanks.
Controlling Oil Spills
Find and resolve source of leak.
Use PPE and isolate area: identify slip hazards,
place warning cones & barricades.
Contain the spill by using booms and spill
berms.
Prevent oil from entering storm or sewer
drains (seal floor drains, drain inlets and curb
inlets).
Use spill kits, sorbent pads, and granular oil
sorbents to clean up spill.
Use granular oil sorbents to clean up oil spill.
Sand may be used but sand is not as effective
as granular sorbents.
Collect contaminated granular oil sorbent or
sand into containers label as “contaminated
with used oil”. Containers will be disposed
using an environmental disposal vendor
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that oil spills
are the leakages of oil or other
petroleum products that happen on the
land or water through ships or wells or
oil containers. This spill leads to
another form of pollution i.e. oil spill
pollution which can become an oil
disaster as well. It causes a lot of
problems not only for the marine
species but for the birds or mammals
and coastlines as well. If it occurs, a lot
of methods can be adapted to control
the spill whereas the foremost thing is
to prevent the occurrence of oil spills
so that no such disaster occurs
Bibliography
NCERT Biology Textbook
[Link]
Oil_spill
[Link]
international/story/44923/oil-is-
leaking-all-over-the-world/
[Link]
geography/oil-spill
Certificate
It is here by certified that the original and
genuine investigation work has been
carried out to investigate about the
subject matter and related data collection
and investigation has been completed
solely, sincerely and satisfactorily by
Sayan Ghosh of class 12 (Science),Delhi
Public School, Belgram, Purba Burdwan.
Regarding the project titled “Effect of Oil
Spill in Oceans.
Internal Principal External
Examiner Examiner
