Just a tiny amount of oil damages seabirds' feathers, study reveals UCC RSocPublishing
thought to be at risk from oil pollution. The researchers examined the feathers to see how quickly water would pass through after exposure to increasing concentrations of oil. Feathers were also assessed under high-powered microscopes to examine structural changes after contamination.
This study found that extremely thin oil sheens, between 0.1 and 3 micrometers in thickness, were enough to have a significant effect on feather structure and to impact waterproofing. Seabirds exposed to oil are more likely to become waterlogged, cold, and less buoyant, other studies have shown. Oil-damaged Manx shearwater feathers under a digital high-powered microscope. The microstructure within the feather clumps together after exposure to oil, letting water pass through more easily. Credit: Dr Richard Unitt, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, UCC
Unrefined oil has been famously spilled into the sea in huge volumes due to disasters such as the Exxon Valdez and Sea Empress spills. It is also routinely released into the environment in moderate volumes due to extraction and transport activity. Oil pollution poses a considerable threat to many already threatened seabird populations.
Oil-damaged Manx shearwater feathers under a digital high-powered microscope. The microstructure within the feather clumps together after exposure to oil, letting water pass through more easily. Credit: Dr Richard Unitt, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, UCC
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