Specrophotometric measurement techniques are used to quantify data. The Student's t-test is used to determine if the data are statistically significant. At the conclusion of this activity, students develop seminar presentations and defend their research design and findings. Background A large oil spill is one of the most dramatic and terrible environmental disasters. Heart wrenching photographs of oil soaked birds and marine mammals capture our attention and concern.
Oil spills have a predictable progression.
Usually the oil spill is crude oil which contains volatile substances that have low boiling points. The remaining oil is very thick and sticky and adheres to anything it touches including rocks, sand and marine life. Some of this oil is degraded by marine bacteria which degrades the hydrocarbon in oil for use as a carbon source. Scientists have been experimenting with the use of oil degrading marine bacteria in oil spill clean ups. Marine bacteria which naturally degrade oil grow much more slowly than other bacteria strains.