🌍 Environmental Impacts of Oil Spills: Understanding Petroleum Pollution
Eng. Nourhan Thamer Assi.
🎯 Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
✅ SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
✅ SDG 14 – Life Below Water
✅ SDG 15 – Life on Land
✅ SDG 13 – Climate Action
Oil spills are among the most damaging environmental disasters affecting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These spills typically occur during extraction, transportation, or storage operations, leading to the release of petroleum substances into water or soil, causing severe harm to plant and animal life.
Key environmental effects of oil spills include:
Water pollution: Oil degrades water quality and causes the death of fish and marine organisms due to oxygen depletion and toxicity.
Habitat destruction: Oil coats plants, preventing photosynthesis, and threatens wildlife dependent on these habitats.
Soil contamination: Petroleum reduces soil fertility, hindering plant growth and impacting biodiversity.
Human health effects: Exposure to petroleum products can cause serious health issues, including skin and respiratory diseases.
Measures to mitigate damage:
Rapid response to stop spills and clean affected areas.
Use of absorption techniques and bioremediation to treat pollution.
Continuous environmental monitoring to prevent recurrence.
Strengthening environmental laws and community awareness.
Al-Mustaqbal University The First University in Iraq