Our choice: Separation of oil from water after

an oil spill.
Diagram

Positive and negative impacts of that process and its resultant substances on society and the
environment:
 Positive
The process removes oil from local
water sources which are used for
providing water for drinking and
day to day living use.
The easiest option to separate oil
from water is after 10 to 15 days
Society after the spill because photo-
oxidation will loosen the oil and
water mixture.
Dispersants are chemicals that act
like detergents to break oil into tiny
droplets. This dilutes the oil’s
effect by providing bite-sized bits
for oil-eating bacteria that occur
naturally.
The process of burning spilled oil is
Environment 95 – 98% efficient.
The enhancement of natural
biodegradation process involving
oil-eating bacteria, with fertilizers
or oxygen, is the least challenging
activity especially in large spilled
areas.
Additional notes:
Positive and negative impacts of the disposal of the waste products created by this process
on society and the environment:
Positive
Negative
The process effects the underwater
environment due to oil escaping to
the sea.
The process and resultant
substances cause pollution.
The cleaned water after the
separation process, may still not
good enough for drinking.
The containment and recovery
using skimmers is only 10 – 15%
efficient under even the best
circumstances.
Burning spilled oil causes heavy
black smoke, which is not more
toxic than if the oil were burnt as
intended in fuels. The black smoke
spreads to large areas with high
winds.
The shoreline cleanup involving
High-Pressure hosing to rinse oil
back into water, does more harm
than good by killing almost all living
things on the beach.
Negative
 The process will separate water and
oil.
The water will be cleaner and can be
used for day to day things
The oil can be cleaned further for use
Society in Cars and Fireplaces or can be
stored in tanks for later usage.
There are many chemicals used
in this process which creates
waste products.
Some of the chemical waste
products are known to cause
damage to humans and animals.

The marine life and animals can live The marine life and animals can
in a much cleaner environment. get sick if waste products are
The positive impact on the left uncleaned.
Environment evironment would be once they have
control over the oil they save many This can cause pollution which
underwater creatures such as the can affect humans and animals.
seahorses

Additional Notes:

Resources
1. http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/07/06019.htm
2. http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/how-do-oil-spills-out-sea-typically-get-
cleaned.html
3. https://prezi.com/pvyslw-2q2dv/separation-from-water-after-an-oil-spill/
4. http://www.absorbentsonline.com/oilspillbasics.htm
5. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/how-they-re-cleaned-up-1.871059
6. http://ohmsett.com/ask.html
7. http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5624e/x5624e19.gif
Impacts of the Industrial Separation of Mixtures Rubric
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
(50 - 59%) (60 - 69%) (70 - 79%) (80 - 100%)

Knowledge/ Describes the Describes the Describes the Describes the

Understanding: process used to process used to process used to process used to
describe the process used to separate a mixture separate a mixture separate a mixture separate a mixture
separate a mixture or or solution into its or solution into its or solution into its or solution into its
solution into its components with components with components with components with a
components.7s54. limited accuracy. some accuracy. considerable high degree of
accuracy. accuracy.

identify an industrial Identifies an Identifies an Identifies an Identifies an

application of a separation
process. 7s54.
industrial industrial industrial industrial
application of a application of a application of a application of a
separation process separation process separation process separation process
with limited with some with considerable with a high degree
effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. of effectiveness.

Thinking: Describes the Describes the Describes the Describes the

describe the impact on impact on society impact on society impact on society impact on society
society and the environment and the and the and the and the environment
of different industrial environment of environment of environment of of different
methods of separating different industrial different industrial different industrial industrial methods
mixtures and solutions.7s43. methods of methods of methods of of separating
separating separating separating mixtures mixtures and
mixtures and mixtures and and solutions with solutions with a
solutions with solutions with considerable high degree of
limited accuracy some accuracy and accuracy and accuracy and
and effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.

describe the positive and Describes positive Describes positive Describes positive Describes positive
negative environmental and negative and negative and negative and negative
impacts related to the environmental environmental environmental environmental
disposal of pure substances impacts related to impacts related to impacts related to impacts related to
and mixtures. 7s42. the disposal of the disposal of the disposal of pure the disposal of pure
pure substances pure substances substances and substances and
and mixtures with and mixtures with mixtures with mixtures with a high
limited accuracy some accuracy and considerable degree of accuracy
and effectiveness. effectiveness. accuracy and and effectiveness.
effectiveness.

Communication: Uses science and Uses science and Uses science and Uses science and
use appropriate science and technology technology technology technology
technology vocabulary in vocabulary in oral vocabulary in oral vocabulary in oral vocabulary in oral
oral and written and written and written and written and written
communication.7s48. communication communication communication communication with
with limited with some with considerable a high degree of
effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness. effectiveness.