|
|
Oil pollution in salt marshes is almost always a result of leakages from nearby oil
refineries. The damage done to the marsh depends upon the type of oil that leaks. The
most toxic type of oil is composed of small molecules and is called a "light crude." Other
oil products made out of similar materials are just as toxic. The "light" oils get absorbed
and trapped in the cells of the plants and permanently contaminate the plants. With the
toxins inside, the plants turn yellow and slowly die. Heavy oil too is leaked into salt marshes. Instead of killing the vegetation internally, heavy oil smothers the plants and disallows the intake of CO2. There is a method that can clean this type of oil from the marshes, but it is not one hundred percent effective. First, if clean up does not start almost immediately, the plants are likely to suffocate. Also, the trampling that occurs during the cleaning kills the plants regardless of the presence of the oil. (Graphic: http://seaserver.nos.noaa.gov/projects/oilspills/oilimages.html )
| |
|