Publication Abstract

The use of chemical dispersants to combat oil spills at sea: a review of practice and research needs in Europe

H. Chapman, K.A. Purnell, R.J. Law and M.F. Kirby

In order to better understand the practice of dispersant use, a review has been undertaken of marine oil spills over a 10 year period (1995–2005), looking in particular at variations between different regions and oil-types. This viewpoint presents and analyses the review data and examines a range of dispersant use policies. The paper also discusses the need for a reasoned approach to dispersant use and introduces past cases and studies to highlight lessons learned over the past ten years, focussing on dispersant effectiveness and monitoring; toxicity and environmental effects; the use of dispersants in low salinity waters; response planning and future research needs.

Reference

H. Chapman, K.A. Purnell, R.J. Law and M.F. Kirby (2007) The use of chemical dispersants to combat oil spills at sea: a review of practice and research needs in Europe. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54: 827-838