Dispersants can be used to dissipate oil slicks . They may rapidly disperse large amounts of certain oil types from the sea surface by transferring it into the water column . They will cause the oil slick to break up and form water-soluble micelles that are rapidly diluted . Then effectively spread throughout a larger volume of water than the surface from where the oil was dispersed . They can also delay the formation of persistent oil-in-water emulsions . However , laboratory experiments showed that dispersants increased toxic hydrocarbon levels in fish by a factor of up to 100 and may kill fish eggs . Dispersant was used in an attempt to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill though its use was discontinued as there was not enough wave action to mix the dispersant with the oil in the water . Dispersant Corexit 9500 was used on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill . Dispersant Corexit 9527 was used to disperse an oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico in 1979 ( Ixtoc ) , used over one thousand square miles of sea
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Dispersant