David Gonzalez
Research Paper
Prof. Zayas
ENG 21003
Disarray and Destruction: Chemical Spill Effects
Destruction, regardless of the form that it tends to come, always creates disarray and disparity as the lasting effect of it. Such destruction can always be something that is out of our control, something beyond our physical ability to prevent. But sometimes we do have the ability to prevent such destruction and prevent a negative outcome from occurring. Such a thing can be said when it comes to Chemical Spills. Chemical spills have become a detrimental and negatively impacting event that has become more and more frequent within the past few decades. Such spills can vary from different types of chemical such as oil, petroleum, hazardous chemicals and even the potential of biological chemicals from spilling.
Chemical spills have typically occurred most in bodies of water whether it is fresh water bodies or salt water bodies, it has been more of a frequent event in such areas. Some reasoning behind such spills on water occurring has to do with the ability to transport set items across water and the overall stability of it can become jeopardized at any moment’s notice. Within this research paper, it will explain primarily the detrimental effects that chemical spills have on freshwater bodies but also saltwater bodies and the ecosystem and environment is affected. Such an effect ranges from the wildlife that could possibly be living there up to any humans that are found in that area as well. Also it should be said that chemical spills on land will not be left out as it is also essential to understanding and grasping the idea of how detrimental chemical spills can be overall regardless of where it happens.
To understand the danger of a chemical spill and how there can be an overall negative effect on the environment, we must first be able to understand what a chemical spill truly is and how it can sometimes range in severity depending on how it occurs. In Mary Mcmahon’s article titled What is a Chemical Spill? It discusses how in simple terms “A chemical spill is a situation in which a chemical is accidentally released.”(McMahon, 2023) Based on this we can interpret how chemical spills tend to accidentally release without any on purpose intent. Later, on it will be shown how that has been the case in many situations in which chemical spills have occurred. Later on, McMahon goes on to state how “spills of toxic chemicals represent a more serious problem, especially in the case of spills of multiple chemicals which could react with each other.”(McMahon, 2023) Chemical spills that involve any type of toxic chemicals are much far worse than others because with the mixture of it with other chemicals it can create a more devastating scene. So here we are able to understand how regardless chemical spills are still a bad thing to have to occur in an ecosystem but it becomes much of a devastating thing when there are multiple chemicals that are combined.
There have been many ways that chemical spills have occurred throughout recents times whether that is on the sea, on fresh bodies of water and even on land. They both tend to have a similar response and also consequence of it occurring. As we dive into this topic we will see first how fresh bodies of water are affected. When considering Chemical spills we will look at how crude oil can have an impact when it is spilled into a fresh body of water.
In Characterization, occurrence and natural attenuation of spilled light synthetic crude oil in a boreal freshwater ecosystem by Zeyu Yang and others, here we are able to see how a chemical spill in a fresh body of water occurred and how this occurring allowed for an analysis to occur of what the outcome was in a certain time frame from its original spill. Here we are able to decipher how “These systems are interconnected with groundwater aquifers, making them highly vulnerable to contamination, while also being heavily used by humans. Unlike the open ocean, oil spilled into freshwater often pools in the standing water system, strands along the flowing water bank by clinging to the plants and grasses, or sticking to the rocks.” (Yang, 2021) With this we are able to see how a chemical spill can have a much longer effect on fresh bodies of water when compared to the sea. Since fresh bodies of water have sedimentary rocks it tends to seep downwards as its of a more stationary section of water rather than the sea where it is more immersive and open. Such biodiversity and fauna, can prevent an oil spill from moving as it remains attached to it for a long duration of time.
Later on we are able to compare data of how after months of an oil spill can still have remaining effects even after an implementation of cleanup occurred. It states how, “Therefore, oil contamination remained present along the rail line, even though some remediation activities had been in operation for the 20 months following the incident. During the site visit, oil sheens were observed on the water surface occasionally. The disturbance of sediments during sampling also caused the oil sheens to appear.”(Yang, 2021) What it can be clearly seen here is how due to the fact that even after months of an oil spillage occurring, there is still some activities that are present that shows that there has been a lingering of crude synthetic oil still left in the sedimentary levels in these fresh bodies of water. Despite samples being collected it shows that oil sheens still appear sporadically, showing that despite almost two years later there is still a negative effect on such fresh bodies of water.
But other than just Chemical spills being detrimental to the environment itself we must also see how there is an effect on humans lives and how this can lead to negative effects overall. In “Do We Really Want to Go Down That Path?”: Abandoning Appalachia and the Elk River Chemical Spill by Stephen Young, we are able to dive into the effects on fresh bodies of water and how it can have a detrimental effect on humans and those living in those certain type of situations. In the text it goes on to say how “The leak in the containment unit led to a direct
flow of a large amount of the chemical into the Elk River through topsoil absorption (Raby 2014). The short distance between the spill site and the American Water plant combined with the shallowness of the river allowed the chemical to reach the treatment center within a relatively short amount of time (Botelho & Watkins 2014).”( Young, 2018) Here we are able to see and understand how due to the fact that spill had occurred on the Elk River and how a nearby treatment center for fresh water was nearby it allowed for just a small amount of time for the water to get polluted and become a hazard for those living in the surrounded region.
Later we are brought up with the worse situation that can occur when a chemical spill affects the drinkable tap water that many people should be able to obtain without any problem. It goes to say how “As feared by FEMA and state agencies, individuals within this area began showing up at hospitals after falling ill following the consumption of the contaminated water.”(Young, 2018) We are brought with this evidence on how with the mishandling of chemical and the slow response to realize what has occurred it affected over “three hundred thousand individuals”(Young, 2018) We are left now to wonder if there was a better proper care of transportation and storage of chemicals could this have been prevented but most importantly why facilitate such corporations to remain in areas in which the water source is valuable and important to those who are living and consuming in within that region.
Now that we have discussed fresh bodies of water, we must also assess those bodies of water that are salt bodies such as gulfs and oceans. When comparing the severity of both ends we can see that the approach of how it can be dealt with a chemical spill in the ocean versus one that could occur in a fresh body of water. Both cannot be compared as they both fall into their own separate category of aftermath and what long lasting effects they can continue to show even after a potential cleanup. In An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico by the National Research Council, Division on Earth and Life Studies, Ocean Studies Board, Committee on the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Mississippi Canyon-252 Oil Spill on Ecosystem Services in the Gulf of Mexico, it was discussed how the oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico occurred and how there was methods for containment and its effect that it brought with it. Now as we know the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the most devastating events as it affected the marine wildlife that lived in that gulf ranging from sharks to fishes to coral reefs to much more.
In this work brought by the National Research Council we can see the methods that were taken in order to stop and contain such spill. It states how “About 1.8 million gallons of dispersants were used during the DWH oil spill response. Both product formulations used in the GoM—Corexit 9527 and 9500—were approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Contingency Plan for the treatment of oil spills.” (Pg. 74) Here we can see that for a quick response oil dispersants were used as a quick response to mitigate the severity of the oil spill from continuing to spread but also to prevent more wildlife being affected. Although this approach is much more different when taking an approach to fresh body of water, it should be noted that such a frame of time for a response to occur should have been taken when it came to the Elk River previously mentioned. Such usage and clearance from the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency would perhaps allow for a little to low numbers affected by the consumption of tap water that was derived from the treatment plant that had the water from the Elk River flow in.
Now to touch upon a chemical spill that happens on land we must refer to one of the most recent chemical spills in the U.S which was the Ohio Chemical trail derailment. This event is quite particular because there have been several aspects of the environment that were affected. Whether ranging from those humans who live in the affected area, the release of the burned chemical to the airs, containment of bodies of water and much more. In this most recent chemical spill we see that most of those points are touched fully. In How dangerous was the Ohio chemical train derailment? An environmental engineer assesses the long-term risks by Andrew J. Whelton states “Nearly a dozen cars carrying chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, derailed on the evening of Feb. 3, and fire from the site sent up acrid black smoke. Officials said they had tested over 400 nearby homes for contamination and were tracking a plume of spilled chemicals that had killed 3,500 fish in streams and reached the Ohio River.”(Whelton, 2023) With this being said we can see how chemical spills can affect more than just one aspect of the environment and create tensions as to what asses first. Although there are many standpoints that can be partially taken it can be said that chemical containment should be made a priority. But when comparing the chemical spill in the Gulf of Mexico to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, it can be noted that there are more than just taking containment measures but quite literally assessing human lives that can be at stake and/or those wildlife forms that can be negatively affected as well. We can notice that wildlife such as certain species of fishes in the Ohio River have died and how the river has become contaminated with several chemicals. These answers on chemical spills are bad but also cause a severity in the ecosystem.
Now with more news traveling much faster than before we have seen that there is a trend when it comes to how often chemical spills are occurring and the effects that are coming with it. In The thread that ties the recent chemical spills together by Rebecca Leber, it allows us to see how there has been a steady rise in spills relating to gas and oil throughout the United States and how it has been causing major effects. It states how “The Guardian reported that the US has averaged a chemical accident every two days so far in 2023. Every year, there’s an average of 202 accidental chemical releases at facilities, according to EPA data.”(Leber, 2023) This piece of evidence touches upon the idea that there has been a steady increase in chemical spills in just the year of 2023. But it also begs to us to wonder how this continuation of accidental spills can be tolerated to an extent to where we can see it continue to have a more negative effect. If such events continue to occur then could there be remaining long effects on the environment that may not be reversible? These are questions that now arise from such a steady increase.
Overall, this research paper allows for the understanding of chemical spills and how it affects different bodies of water. Affecting fresh bodies of water and its surrounding environment such as wildlife and negatively impacting the lives of countless humans. But also bodies of saltwater water and how aquatic life is affected by different types of chemical spills. In the end, chemical spills are inevitable as there is so much that we can do to prevent the next one. But it can be hope that the next one does not affect us severely.
Reference
– National Research Council, Division on Earth and Life Studies, Ocean Studies Board, Committee on the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Mississippi Canyon-252 Oil Spill on Ecosystem Services in the Gulf of Mexico. An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. https://search-ebscohost-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=867971&site=ehost-live
– Andrew J. Whelton Professor of Civil. (2023, February 23). How dangerous was the Ohio Chemical train derailment? an environmental engineer assesses the long-term risks. The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/how-dangerous-was-the-ohio-chemical-train-derailment-an-environmental-engineer-assesses-the-long-term-risks-199993
– Yang, Zeyu, et al. “Characterization, Occurrence and Natural Attenuation of Spilled Light Synthetic Crude Oil in a Boreal Freshwater Ecosystem.” Fuel (Guildford), vol. 285, 2021, p. 119276–, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119276.
https://www-sciencedirect-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/science/article/pii/S0016236120322729
– Young S. “Do We Really Want to Go Down That Path?”: Abandoning Appalachia and the Elk River Chemical Spill. Social Justice. 2018;45(2/3):93-117 https://search-ebscohost-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=137039927&site=ehost-live
– Leber, Rebecca. “The Thread That Ties the Recent Chemical Spills Together.” Vox, 2 Apr. 2023, www.vox.com/climate/2023/4/2/23591075/oil-gas-petrochemicals-water-contamination-east-palestine.
– Mary McMahon Last Modified Date: May 05, et al. “What Is a Chemical Spill?” All the Science, 5 May 2023, www.allthescience.org/what-is-a-chemical-spill.htm.
