[mewzilla]

FWIW, I don't think we can say that just yet. I'm concerned that oil broken down by the dipersants will more easily find its way into fish and the food chain than it would've otherwise.

I'm not saying that the dispersants shouldn't have been used.

Just warning that nobody's been able to repeal the Law of Unintended Consequences :)

[ArrogantBustard]

I'm concerned that oil broken down by the dipersants will more easily find its way into fish and the food chain than it would've otherwise.

Oh, yes ... the petroleum will definitely find its way into the food chain, and the dispersants definitely speed the process.

Bacteria eat the petroleum. Plankton eat the bacteria. Shrimp and small fish eat the plankton. Big fish and people eat the shrimp. Big fish eat the small fish. People eat the big fish.

Yep ... happens all the time.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I'm concerned that oil broken down by the dipersants will more easily find its way into fish and the food chain than it would've otherwise."

The data presented here says that doesn't happen. Neither the dispersant nor the more toxic components in the oil simply don't stick around long enough for much in the way of bio-accumulation to happen. Too many hungry bacteria in the Gulf.