Ask A Scientist© Environmental Science Archive

Author:      beth a berry
How do you separate oil from water in an oil spill?  How long does the oil  
remain in the water?

Response #:  1 of 1
Author:      mortis
Have you not ever heard the expression "oil and water do not mix?"  Well, it 
is true!  It is not hard to separate the oil from water in a spill because the 
oil floats in a layer on top of the water, and can be scooped up with machines 
called "skimmers."  A bigger problem is how to keep the slick from spreading 
out over the water's surface, so clean-up crews try to keep it contained with 
floating walls called "booms."  If the oil cannot be scooped up right away, it 
will slowly become saturated and sink to the bottom.  If the sea is too rough 
for booms and skimmers, there is not much that can be done about cleaning up 
the spill.