SESSION III: BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS 

 OF AM OIL SPILL ON THE ENVIRONMENT 



A. Fate of Oil in the Sea: Richard F. Lee 



Dr. Lee of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography at Savannah, Georgia, 

 discussed processes that determine the fate of oil in the marine environment. 

 His speech included an in-depth presentation on the various physical and 

 biological factors affecting an oil spill. These include: wind, waves, cur- 

 rents, evaporation, emulsion, dissolution, and biodegradation. He also dis- 

 cussed oil uptake by animals and its release or depuration from the animal. 

 Care should be taken with regard to detoxification measures. A lot of people, 

 he said, do not really know what the term "detoxification" means. Dispersing 

 oil may not necessarily mean detoxifying it. 



B. Assessing the Biological Impact of Oil Spills: A New Role for EPA 

 Biologists: Royal J. Nadeau 



Dr. Nadeau of the EPA office at Edison, New Jersey, discussed a variety of 

 subjects including spills from ships, tank farms, and distribution facilities. 

 Oil does not degrade very readily when it becomes imbedded in sand. He said that 

 to a large extent the biological impact of a spill depends on the season of the 

 yea r . Other important factors include the use of dispersants, steam-cleaning 

 activities, previous exposure of the area to oil, the type and quantity of the 

 oil, and the hydrography of the area affected. He then described the thorough 

 biological documentation process EPA goes through after a spill. 



C. Effect of Oil on Aquatic Birds: Peter H. Al bers 



Dr. Albers, from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center of the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, Laurel, Maryland, discussed his research. He stated that the 

 most important factor for birds in an oil spill is the amount of time they spend 

 on the water after becoming oiled. Vulnerability of the species depends largely 

 on a variety of seasonal factors. Dr. Albers then discussed more technical 

 aspects of the problem; i.e., the effect of petroleum on avian physiology, 

 hatchability, and hepatic (liver) functions. His research efforts are directed 

 toward an understanding of the full effect of oil on aquatic birds. It will be 

 a long time yet before all the answers are known. 



SESSION IV: OVERVIEW OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE TECHNIQUES 



A. Containment and Recovery Techniques for Spilled Oil in the Marine 

 Environment: M. J. Donohoe 



Lt. Donohoe, of the Gulf Strike Team, U.S. Coast Guard, Bay St. Louis, 

 Mississippi, was unable to attend, as he v/as responding to an oil spill. 

 However, I understand his address will appear in the Proceedings. 



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