Effects of dispersants on mitigating environmental impacts of marine oil pollution

Oil spills are one of the most challenging threats to the marine environment that can have long-term impacts on fisheries, the economy and society. Dispersants are commonly applied as a remediation strategy to disperse oil into the water column and produce small oil droplets that are more readily degraded by indigenous oil-degrading bacteria. Whilst dispersants are one of the many tools to prevent coastal contamination, there are concerns they may contribute to the formation of marine oil snow (MOS). MOS has been speculated to transport oil into the deep sea, potentially damaging benthic ecosystems. This PhD will investigate whether dispersants inhibit or enhance the formation of MOS over a range of relevant conditions.