Oil into Waterways

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by fredrosse, May 15, 2015.

  1. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
    Posts: 10,386
    Likes: 1,042, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 702
    Location: Australia

    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Sounds like a good thing not to be eating then ! :eek:
     
  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
    Likes: 1,714, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 2031
    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Fast Fred: I am aware of the Russian theory. It claims there are two sources for petroleum: fossilized biomass and new organic material produced by chemical and thermal processes deep in the Earth's crust. Either way it is organic material, whether it is fossilized or newly created.
    Latestarter: Firstly, excrement makes good fertilizer and it is used worldwide. In Milwaukee it is sold as "Milorganite". Secondly, in areas of the ocean where there are petroleum seeps, the concentration of life is very high. Many life forms thrive in it.
     
  3. Rastapop
    Joined: Mar 2014
    Posts: 278
    Likes: 5, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 46
    Location: Australia

    Rastapop Naval Architect

    That doesn't stop it being highly damaging to most wildlife.

    A rather misleading statement. A specific selection of low level life forms thrive there, but for most animals/plants/plankton/etc it's toxic.

    Perhaps one way to think about it is this: you produce formaldehyde, so it's a naturally occurring substance in your body, but it's highly toxic and something you'd be smart to avoid exposure to.
    So oil being organic is irrelevant - it's something best to avoid exposing the environment to.
     
  4. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    Uranium is an organic material, so nuking the whales might be a good thing then.
     
  5. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
    Likes: 1,714, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 2031
    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Uranium is a mineral. Sorry, back to science class.
     
  6. fredrosse
    Joined: Jan 2005
    Posts: 439
    Likes: 81, Points: 38, Legacy Rep: 56
    Location: Philadelphia PA

    fredrosse USACE Steam

    Question

    Is there a way to guide this thread back to the original questions?

    Does anyone know of environmentally acceptable oils that are biodegradable and that could be discharged into the water? It would be good to know of some oils that would not bring environmental problems. Please let us know about this IF you have solid data. Telling the authorities that "I think this oil discharge is OK, Joe from the forum said he thought it was acceptable because he heard about it from a friend...." would not be the kind of information needed here.

    Another point: Two Stroke Outboard Mix Oil. What are the regulations regarding these types of discharge?
     
  7. CDK
    Joined: Aug 2007
    Posts: 3,324
    Likes: 148, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 1819
    Location: Adriatic sea

    CDK retired engineer

    Back on topic.

    Adding a bit of detergent to an oil spill emulsifies it so it can easier degrade than a solid oil film. An added bonus it that the oil is immediately invisible.
    It would be better not to release any oil in waterways but it cannot be avoided if we want to maintain our way of life. Even sun blockers contain oily substances that should not be released to the environment.

    Mineral oils usually contain several additives but they are better lubricants than vegetable oil so you need less and release less. It is my firm belief that the days of 2-stroke outboards without controlled oil injection are numbered.
     
  8. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
    Posts: 2,015
    Likes: 141, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 1307
    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

  9. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 1,958
    Likes: 176, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 304
    Location: SF bay

    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Just because its "organic" and/or will break down and/or gets eaten by Bactria etc doesn't mean it isn't bad for you, or down right life threatening, even in relatively small exposures.

    I'm guessing 50% of all medical costs and deaths are related to exposure to organic compounds such as booze, tobacco, drugs(including doctor prescribed), junk food, and even 'good food', not to mention various petrochemicals.

    I hear Koreans have very high stomach cancer from kimchi, which isn't considered junk food or even unhealthy. Now they say char broiled meat has some pretty bad cancer causing chemicals.

    Those petrochems do cause skin cancer and other probs even with mild exposure over long periods.

    Aren't some major environmental problems caused by release of chemicals that "help" life, like when all those great crop fertilizers or perfectly treated and safe sewage help algae grow like mad? (then all die off at once)


    I always wonder which is a bigger risk, sun light or slathering your skin with all sorts of weird chemicals that haven't been around long enough for long term effects to really be known. Not to mention how those chemicals might entrap or otherwise aid OTHER chemicals from migrating into your body, like if you get some contaminated dirt/dust mixed in with the sun screen lotion.

    If the light is right, you can see a two stroke engine leave a trail on otherwise unpolluted waters.
     
  10. Pericles
    Joined: Sep 2006
    Posts: 2,015
    Likes: 141, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 1307
    Location: Heights of High Wycombe, not far from River Thames

    Pericles Senior Member

    Squidly-Diddly,

    I'm inclined to agree with most of your propositions. Polyunsaturated fats and oils; high-carbohydrate diet; insufficient vitamin D (lack of sunshine) have caused breast cancer rates to soar, because those diet changes & the scare about sunshine can trigger disease forming mutations.

    http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/04/08/breast-cancer-genes-beyond-brca1-and-brca2/

    http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/cancer-breast.html#.VVeY3vlVikp

    However, humans have not damaged the planet in any way that nature cannot remedy within a couple of thousand years. Environmentalism is all about political control & the money. Don't forget the money. That's $22 trillion wasted so far.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Earth-After-Us-Legacy/dp/0199214980
     
  11. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
    Likes: 1,714, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 2031
    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    In the USA and Canada it is illegal to dump oil or sludge. Detergent makes oil and water into sludge.
     
  12. TANSL
    Joined: Sep 2011
    Posts: 7,369
    Likes: 699, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 300
    Location: Spain

    TANSL Senior Member

    That is, that before pouring detergent on a fuel slick, which will turn into sludge, it is preferable to leave the fuel as it is. Although not preferred, it appears that, at least, in USA and Canada is not illegal.
    Btw, how detergent makes water into sludge?.
     
  13. Waterwitch
    Joined: Oct 2012
    Posts: 147
    Likes: 37, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 20
    Location: North East USA

    Waterwitch Senior Member

    The only oil I have seen sold commercially for dumping into the ocean is menhaden fish oil. Which people use for chum slicks as a fish attractant.
    The fish oil is use industrially for many things, and I'm sure the bait industry is only a small part of it.
     
  14. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
    Likes: 1,714, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 2031
    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member


  15. TANSL
    Joined: Sep 2011
    Posts: 7,369
    Likes: 699, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 300
    Location: Spain

    TANSL Senior Member

    I will not read the article, I better with the summary, I am sure, is very well done and so I´d ask the following: the tiny globules are in suspension, I guess, in the water. How, then, it is "eliminate the molecular interaction between oils and water?". According to that summary, it seems to me that the situation is the same as before the detergent.
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.