Abstract
A procedure for evaluating the effectiveness of oil-dispersing chemicals has been developed. Using the apparatus originally designed for the Navy specification for solvent-emulsifiers, test conditions were adapted to correspond more closely to typical environmental conditions. Test conditions having the greatest effect on dispersant performance included: type of oil, composition of salt water solution, degree of agitation of chemical/oil mixture, and the degree of contact between chemical and oil prior to agitation. Results from this modified procedure, the Simulated Environmental Tank (SET) Test, correspond well with results from simple field tests. Field tests have limited precision and reproducibility. This lack of a reliable index of field performance with which to compare laboratory results hinders refinement of standard test procedures. The SET Test, which produces results corresponding favorably with field performance, to the extent field performance can be determined, and which simulates typical environmental conditions, is proposed as a meaningful interim solution to this problem of dispersant evaluation.