Smoke rises from a controlled burn May 19, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico
One of the more contentious responses to the 5 million barrels of crude that gushed into the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster was the release of the 1.84 million gallons of dispersants — chemicals intended to break up the oil — even though the environmental consequences were unknown. Three years later, a grim picture is emerging. Studies have found that one of the chemicals used, Corexit, has made the oil even more toxic to creatures in the Gulf’s food chain, causing a massive die-off of microscopic organisms, the emergence of millions of mutant shrimp and crabs, and the appearance of dangerously high levels of hydrocarbons in seafood. Divers and some Gulf residents also report being sick, with bleeding from the nose and ears and cognitive problems.