LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, AK, spilling an estimated 11 million gallons (42 million liters) of crude oil that spread as a surface slick (1) (Figure 1).

Detailed explanation-2: -At four minutes after midnight on March 24, the ship struck Bligh Reef, a well-known navigation hazard in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The impact of the collision tore open the ship’s hull, causing some 11 million gallons of crude oil to spill into the water.

Detailed explanation-3: -The oil killed and injured seabirds, sea otters, harbor seals, bald eagles, orcas and other wildlife. Eventually, oil from the spill affected more than 1, 000 miles of Alaska’s remote and rugged coastline.

Detailed explanation-4: -Biodegradation occurs when bacteria, fungi, or other organism or biological process chemically dissolves materials. The process can be beneficial or detrimental within the industry depending on the circumstances. For instance, biodegradation via bacteria can aid in the cleanup of oil spills.

Detailed explanation-5: -A small portion of the oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill still lingers in patches beneath Prince William Sound, Alaska, beaches. However, this and other studies suggests the remaining oil is sequestered, or buried, and currently is not posing a risk to the coastal and marine ecosystem.