Dispersit Explained

Dispersit SPC 1000 or Dispersit is a dispersant used for oil spills, produced by U.S. Polychemical Corporation.[1]

Composition

It combines a predominantly oil-soluble surfactant (such as polyethylene glycol mono-oleate) with a predominantly water-soluble surfactant (such as cocoamide) and a co-solvent for coupling a mixture of the predominantly oil-soluble surfactant and the oil.[2]

Alternatives

Alternative dispersants which are approved by the EPA are listed on the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule[3] and rated for their toxicity and effectiveness.[4]

Deployments

2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Dispersit is unique among U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-rated dispersants in being the only one rated as 100% effective against South Louisiana crude oil, and it is among the least toxic, according to EPA tests.[4] By comparison, Corexit, the oil dispersant used in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, is rated at 54.7% effective against South Louisiana crude oil and three times as lethal to silverfish and more than twice as lethal to shrimp.[5]

On May 20, US Polychemical Corporation was reported to have received an order from BP for Dispersit SPC 1000.[6] US Polychemical reportedly stated it was able to produce 20000USgal a day in the first few days and increasing up to 60000USgal a day thereafter.[7]

See also

References

  1. News: Polychem Dispersit . U.S. Polychemical Corporation . 2010-05-21.
  2. US. 6261463. patent. Water based oil dispersant. 2002-01-17. 2001-07-17. 1999-03-04. Savarimuthu M. Jacob and Robert E. Bergman. Savarimuthu M. Jacob. Robert E. Bergman. U.S. Polychemical Marine Corporation.
  3. News: National Contingency Plan Product Schedule . Environmental Protection Agency . 2010-05-13 . 2010-05-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100521003529/http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/ncp/product_schedule.htm . 2010-05-21 .
  4. News: National Contingency Plan Product Schedule Toxicity and Effectiveness Summaries . Environmental Protection Agency . 2010-05-13 . 2010-05-21.
  5. News: Toxic Oil Dispersant Used in Gulf Despite Better Alternative . Brandon Keim . Wired . 2010-05-05 . 2010-05-21.
  6. News: National Contingency Plan Product Schedule, Technical Product Bulletin #D-5: DISPERSIT SPC 1000 . Environmental Protection Agency . 1999-04-22 . 2010-05-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100522120306/http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/ncp/products/dispersi.htm . 2010-05-22 .
  7. News: Agency Orders Use of a Less Toxic Chemical in Gulf . Campbell Robertson and Elisabeth Rosenthal . New York Times . 2010-05-20 . 2010-05-21.

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