Question
Oil spills are a very serious form of pollution. They severely affect marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. The table shows methods that can be used to control oil spills.
Description of the Method Risks/Benefits of the Method
Bioremediation adds certain microorganisms over the spill. This helps existing microorganisms degrade the oil faster. This method does not harm the environment or organisms in the water.
Evaporation and biodegradation allow the oil to be reduced naturally. This happens without human intervention. This method occurs very slowly, but it does not harm the environment or organisms in the water.
Mechanical methods use barriers to prevent the oil from spreading to other areas. This method can be difficult to use in rough sea conditions. It helps to prevent the oil from spreading, but it does not help degrade the oil.
Chemical methods use dispersants that break the oil into tiny droplets. The droplets can then be degraded by natural processes. This methodquickly degrades the oil, but the chemicals used can be toxic to marine organisms. How well it works depends on the salinity and temperature of the water.
A scientist wants to design a solution to control an oil spill. This solution should decrease the impact of the oil spill on the local biodiversity of the ecosystem. The solution should also be quick and effective but have minimal negative effects on the environment. Which of the following solutions would be best for the scientist to choose?
A.
using bioremediation to speed up existing, natural oil degradation
B.
using chemical methods to break the oil into smaller droplets
C.
allowing natural processes to occur without any human intervention
D.
using mechanical methods to collect the oil in one part of the ecosystem
Description of the Method Risks/Benefits of the Method
Bioremediation adds certain microorganisms over the spill. This helps existing microorganisms degrade the oil faster. This method does not harm the environment or organisms in the water.
Evaporation and biodegradation allow the oil to be reduced naturally. This happens without human intervention. This method occurs very slowly, but it does not harm the environment or organisms in the water.
Mechanical methods use barriers to prevent the oil from spreading to other areas. This method can be difficult to use in rough sea conditions. It helps to prevent the oil from spreading, but it does not help degrade the oil.
Chemical methods use dispersants that break the oil into tiny droplets. The droplets can then be degraded by natural processes. This methodquickly degrades the oil, but the chemicals used can be toxic to marine organisms. How well it works depends on the salinity and temperature of the water.
A scientist wants to design a solution to control an oil spill. This solution should decrease the impact of the oil spill on the local biodiversity of the ecosystem. The solution should also be quick and effective but have minimal negative effects on the environment. Which of the following solutions would be best for the scientist to choose?
A.
using bioremediation to speed up existing, natural oil degradation
B.
using chemical methods to break the oil into smaller droplets
C.
allowing natural processes to occur without any human intervention
D.
using mechanical methods to collect the oil in one part of the ecosystem
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Considering the requirements of the scientist's solution—to decrease the impact on local biodiversity, to be quick and effective, and to have minimal negative effects on the environment—the best option would be:
**A. using bioremediation to speed up existing, natural oil degradation.**
This method enhances the natural degradation process using microorganisms, which does not harm the environment or organisms in the water, and would be effective in mitigating the effects of the oil spill on biodiversity. The other options either have significant drawbacks (like toxicity in the case of chemical methods) or do not actively contribute to the degradation of oil (like mechanical methods or allowing natural processes to occur without intervention).
**A. using bioremediation to speed up existing, natural oil degradation.**
This method enhances the natural degradation process using microorganisms, which does not harm the environment or organisms in the water, and would be effective in mitigating the effects of the oil spill on biodiversity. The other options either have significant drawbacks (like toxicity in the case of chemical methods) or do not actively contribute to the degradation of oil (like mechanical methods or allowing natural processes to occur without intervention).