A team of scientists from UNSW have analysed the mysterious unknown debris that washed up on Sydney beaches this week.
Hundreds of the sticky blobs have washed up on shore throughout the week, including at Coogee Beach, Gordon’s Bay and Maroubra beach, with further beach closures announced.
Randwick City Council said, preliminary test results “show the material is a hydrocarbon-based pollutant which is consistent with the makeup of tar balls”.
“Australia’s beaches, including recently along Sydney’s coastline, have seen the arrival of tar balls – dark, spherical, sticky blobs formed from weathered oil,” says Professor Alex Donald, from the School of Chemistry who, alongside a team of researchers, have carried out an array of preliminary analyses of the debris. The ‘weathering’ process refers to the changes that occur to oil as it spends time in the environment.
Prof. Donald, as well as other members of the team, are available to talk about how tar balls form, what their preliminary tests have revealed and the possible impact of tar balls on Australian beaches.
Prof. Donald can be contacted directly at: w.donald@unsw.edu.au
Contact details:
Lilly Matson.
Tel: 0426 656 007
