Oil Spill Clean Up: Biological vs. Physical

Clean Up an Oil Spill Right in Your Classroom.

In this activity, students will compare two methods of oil spill cleanup: biological and physical. Applying both a special blend of oil-degrading microbes and a hydrocarbon-encapsulating polymer to oil and examining the results, students will draw conclusions about the effectiveness of each approach. The kit includes a specially prepared stained vegetable oil to simulate crude oil, eliminating any of the hazards and associated disposal costs of the “real thing,” while still allowing students to perform the procedures.