Friedheim Scientific’s Post

Next in the series of 'Safe & Sustainable By Design: Lessons From The History Books' is Corexit Corexit is a chemical dispersant that was developed to break up and disperse oil spills on water surfaces. It was created to address the environmental and ecological damage caused by large-scale oil spills. The chemical was used in response to oil spill incidents to prevent it from reaching coastlines, wetlands, and other sensitive habitats. It was applied directly to the oil slicks either from the air or by dispersing it on the water's surface. The idea was that by breaking the oil into tiny droplets, it would disperse throughout the water column, reducing the visible surface area of the oil slick and making it less likely to impact marine life and coastal ecosystems. However, despite its intended benefits, Corexit has been the subject of controversy due to its toxicity and environmental risks. The dispersant is known to be harmful to marine life, including fish, shellfish, and various aquatic organisms as well as humans. The short-term health symptoms include acute respiratory problems, skin rashes, cardiovascular impacts, gastrointestinal impacts, and short-term loss of memory. Long-term impacts include cancer, decreased lung function, liver damage, and kidney damage. The toxicity concerns and environmental harm associated with Corexit led to its usage being restricted or banned in certain regions. Over time, regulators and environmentalists have raised concerns about the long-term impacts of dispersant use on marine ecosystems and wildlife. Alabama researchers found that the dispersant killed plankton and disrupted the Gulf of Mexico's food web, noting that it is "like the middle part of the food chain has been taken away". In late 2012, a study from Georgia Tech and an environmental pollution journal reported that Corexit used during the BP oil spill had increased the toxicity of the oil by up to 52 times. The chemical's premature promise is explained by incomplete testing - it was never tested for toxicity, it was tested for effectiveness in its ability to break up the oil. #safeandsustainablebydesign #sasbd #friedheimscientific

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