Thorharg,-A.  Dispersed oil effects on mangroves, seagrasses, 
	and corals in the wider Caribbean.  PROCEEDINGS-OF-THE-
	SIXTH-INTERNATIONAL-CORAL-REEF-SYMPOSIUM,-TOWNSVILLE,-
	AUSTRALIA,-8th-12th-AUGUST-1988.-VOLUME-2:-CONTRIBUTED-
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	339.

Most oil spill clean-up plans in the wider Caribbean indicate 
that dispersants should not be used. This is in error for 
coastal and estuarine spills. There have been a series of 
studies, both for field and laboratory on toxicity effects of 
dispersants on critical habitat matrix organisms in the 
Caribbean basins. Red mangroves and several coral species 
were seen to not have toxic effects from Corexit 9527 within 
the 1-50 ppm range. The Rhizophora mangle  experiments by 
Teas indicated better survival when Corexit was used, than 
oil alone. Laboratory results for seagrasses on dispersants 
showed lows, medium, and high toxicities not dependent on oil 
type. These results indicated an "acceptable" list of 
dispersants as the British have is necessary for the wider 
Caribbean matrix-species preservation during spills where 
dispersants will be used.