Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Oil Means More Arsenic In Seawater

Posted by timothy on from the must-cut-back-on-shrimp dept.

oxi writes "Besides the oil already spilling into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of up to 60,000 barrels daily, a group of British scientists says one can expect to see elevated levels of arsenic as well. The research, published in the journal Water Research, showed that oil prevents naturally-occurring arsenic from being filtered out of the water by the sediment on the ocean floor."

3 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. What's the concentration? by Animats · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is probably some parts-per-billion phenomenon.

    Arsenic is naturally found in some fish, and the concentrations approach regulatory limits. It's not clear in what compounds the arsenic appears; if it's locked into a compound that doesn't metabolize, it's probably not a problem.

    1. Re:What's the concentration? by fotoguzzi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why aren't we helping the fish help themselves?

      Give a fish a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a fish to fish, you have invented the shark.

      --
      Their they're doing there hair.
  2. So what? by joetheappleguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fish don't vote.

    Drill, baby! Drill!

    Palin / Haliburton 2012!!