Petroleum oil spills

Prince R. C. (1993) Petroleum oil spill bioremediation in marine environments. Crit. Rev. Microbiol. 19, 217—239. 

Two types of organic films can form on the surface of a body of water. Highly insoluble molecules whose densities are lower than that of water, such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, can simply form an overlying phase that does not significantly interact with the lower aqueous layer. Films of this sort are exemplified by petroleum oil spills, at least in their early stages before extensive oxidative weathering has developed. 

The increasingly volatile prices and availability of gasoline and natural gas, and the recent British Petroleum oil spill disaster has brought about a heightened awareness of our dependence on nonrenewable resources. Currently, over 90% of the US electricity supply comes from the combustion of fossil fuels i.e., coal, oil, and natural gas) and nuclear power generation. 

McKelvey, R.W., I. Robertson, and P.E. Whitehead. 1980. Effect of non-petroleum oil spills on wintering birds near Vancouver. Marine Pollution Bulletin II 169-171. 

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