OSRR-1029-Environmentally Benign Oil Simulants to Mimic the Behavior of Oil Droplets in the Ocean

This project developed a method to fabricate an environmentally benign, optically active particle that can simulate oil droplets in the water column. The synthesis technique of the oil simulant uses an innovative process to allow for tuning of the molecule size.  This flexibility in defining the simulant oil droplet size allows for better understanding of oil behaviors ranging from floating to sinking in the water column. This type of simulant could be used to advance the understanding among spill responders and the scientific community of how submerged oil plumes and floating slicks move in the aquatic environments without risk of harming the environment and associated ecosystems.