Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello I need to complete my science fair project but do not yet have a hypothesis or "main idea"

I was thinking of doing it on the Oil Spill!

This is my idea: What method is best for dispersing oil.
Im not sure but I would like something along those lines.

What I also need is: the methods that can be used.

Please Help me
Thanks in Advance, Andy

Hi Andy,

Here is a patent that describes how to make an oil dispersant:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4992213.html

You may find this Wikipedia article on Corexit useful (check out the References and External links at the end of the article for particularly useful info):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corexit

Here is the ingredient list as published by the maker of Corexit:

http://www.nalco.com/news-and-events/4297.htm

Here is the patent describing Dispersit, another oil dispersant:

http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDeta ... B=&locale=
And a wikipedia article on Dispersit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispersit

If you enter Corexit, Dispersit, or oil dispersant into your favorite search engine (google.com for example) you should get links to lots of news stories and background info on the oil spill and the use of dispersants, and their alleged advantages and disadvantages.

For help in structuring in the project (such as formulating your question and hypothesis and designing your experiments) I highly recommend the Science Buddies Project Guide:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ndex.shtml

It will be helpful to read all the pages in the project guide before you start!

This is a timely and interesting topic. I wish you every success with it!

Best wishes,

Barrett L. Tomlinson

You have already received some helpful advice but I would like to add a note about 'thinking outside the box'. With the Guld oil spill, one major concern with using such a high volume of oil dispersants is the effect they will have on the environment. Which is worse on the environment, oil or the dispersant (in large volmes)? We don't really know the answer to that question. There has been alot of focus on alternative methods of dispersing or collecting oil from water - such as using hay/straw or sawdust or human/pet hair.

You might want to consider finding alternative (& natural) methods for soaking up oil and rate them on effectiveness. What other things can you find to soak up oil? grass clippings? shredded newspaper or other material from your recycling?