In addition , oil spills can also harm air quality . The chemicals in crude oil are mostly hydrocarbons that contains toxic chemicals such as benzenes , toluene , poly-aromatic hydrocarbon and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons . These chemicals can introduce adverse health effects when being inhaled into human body . In addition , these chemicals can be oxidized by oxidants in the atmosphere to form fine particulate matter after they evaporate into the atmosphere . These particulates can penetrate lungs and carry toxic chemicals into the human body . Burning surface oil can also be a source for pollution such as soot particles . During the cleanup and recovery process , it will also generate air pollutants such as nitric oxides and ozone from ships . Lastly , bubble bursting can also be a generation pathway for particulate matter during an oil spill . During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill , significant air quality issues were found on the Gulf Coast , which is the downwind of DWH oil spill . Air quality monitoring data showed that criteria pollutants had exceeded the health-based standard in the coastal regions
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Oil spill