Final answer:
To minimize damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, methods like floating booms, skimmer ships, controlled burns, and the use of the dispersant Corexit 9527 were used to remove and disperse oil, while marine bacteria contributed to the biodegradation process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, various methods were employed to minimize environmental damage from the massive amount of oil released into the Gulf of Mexico.
One of the key tactics included the use of floating booms, skimmer ships, and controlled burns to remove oil from the water's surface, helping to protect coastlines and wetlands.
Another significant method involved the application of approximately 1.84 million gallons of an oil dispersant called Corexit 9527, which contains 2-butoxyethanol, an amphiphilic molecule that emulsifies oil into smaller droplets.
These droplets not only disperse more widely, becoming diluted in the vast ocean water but also become more accessible for degradation by marine bacteria.
However, this approached raised concerns about potential long-term toxic effects on the marine ecosystem and food chain. Long-term monitoring of the spill's impact on the environment is being conducted by various organizations, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.