Oil Dispersant Toxic To Plankton A chemical commonly used to
disperse oil slicks apparently creates a deadly cocktail for
some types of plankton. Corexit was used in the Deep Water
Horizon oil spill to help break down the slick into droplets,
which were then able to sink below the surface and supposedly
degrade. Touted as a product that protects the environment as it
stops the oil from sticking to wildlife such as birds, it also
appears to have a darker side. Researchers have found Corexit
and oil are similar in their toxicity – until they are mixed
together. When combined in a ratio used in the Deep Water
Horizon spill, toxicity to a form of plankton called Brachionus
plicatilis increases up to 52-fold. Brachionus plicatilis is an
important food source for many marine creatures and is also
raised in the aquaculture industry as food for fish larvae. The
oil/Corexit cocktail also has a massive impact on the plankton’s
eggs. According to an abstract from the research: “Just 2.6% of
the water-accommodated fracti