Oil Spill1. A. What are some chemical methods used to clean up an oil spill? There are many different chemical methods used to clean up oil spills. Dispersants are used to break down the oil and accelerate its natural decomposition. There are three different types of dispersants. The first type is a hydrocarbon-based solvent. These dispersants are sprayed on the affected area to dilute the oil contamination. The second type of dispersants consists of alcohol or glycol solvent. These dispersants are also used to dilute the amount of oil in seawater. Type one and type two must be thoroughly mixed with the oil after application to ensure the best result. The last type of dispersants is similar to the first two, except that these dispersants do not have to be agitated but the movement of the sea is sufficient. Solidifiers are also used to chemically remove oil. Solidifiers turn oil from liquid to solid. Solidifiers are sprayed on the affected area and over time the viscosity of the oil increases. Eventually, the oil becomes semi-solid and removal is quite simple.b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this method? There are many advantages and disadvantages to chemical oil removal through dispersants. Dispersants help reduce the risk of oil interfering with marine animals. They also prevent oil from reaching shore and reaching sensitive environments. While dispersants have many advantages, there are also many disadvantages. Dispersants are toxic to some marine mammals. Dispersants must be mixed with water to be effective. Dispersants are also less likely to work if the oil is thick and heavy. Solidifiers have many advantages when used to clean up oil. Solidified oil can be... a little paper... it's very good for the environment because it means there won't be as much waste ending up in landfills.6. Take a stand. If you had to choose one method, which one would you use? Why? If I had to choose one of these methods, I would choose the chemical method. More specifically, I would choose solidifiers. Solidifiers turn oil from liquid to solid. This allows the oil to be removed more easily. Solidifiers are very convenient, safe and non-toxic. Marine animals are not affected by solidifiers. Plus, there aren't many labor expenses since personals are only needed for putting it on and taking it off. I also like solidifiers because they can be reused and recycled. Some solidifiers can be removed from the affected area and reused as oil. If I had to choose a technique, I would choose solidifiers.