Is the video giving us a glimpse of a new environmental disaster? Or is it just one man’s unfounded theory? For now, skepticism is warranted. Have a look for yourself at the video of the reported oil rain.
The YouTube clip shows blackish water on the ground in River Ridge, Louisiana, not far from New Orleans. “You can see this is oil, isn’t that crazy…can’t you smell it?” the man in the video says as he shoots the rainfall.
It is difficult to discern if the rain is truly infested with oil.
Environmental chemist Dr. Steve Opsahl told Fox News: “I would have to question whether or not that oil that you see there in the water is actually coming from run-off in parking lots and driveways rather than coming in from the rainfall.”
According to the CDC, oil evaporates, so how could it be part of the rain cycle? “Oil that contains volatile organic compounds partially evaporates, losing 20 to 40 percent of its mass and becoming denser and more viscous. A small percentage of oil may dissolve in the water.”
Oil rain is not an impossible phenomenon.Jalopnik.com reports, “Considering the effect of light and crude oil evaporation and seawater emulsification, oil from the Deepwater Horizon may be having an effect on the water cycle. An unknown variable on the overall cycle is the introduction of BP’s dispersant of choice, Corexit 9500, which may be either helping or hurting the degree of evaporation.”
More oil from the Gulf spill is washing up onshore, the AP reports. A quarter-mile stretch of Pensacola Beach was closed due to the pollution, and a large section of oil made its way into Mississippi Sound.
