BP oil spill: Experts fear consequence will 'last for decades'

London, Aug 9 (ANI): Experts dealing with the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have expressed fears that its consequences might be felt for decades to come.

Scientists are now analysing water samples and wildlife to find out what happened to most of the 200 million gallons of crude that gushed into the ocean and what its outcome would be.

Pilot Dr Bonny Schumaker, a NASA scientist who runs the charity On Wings Of Care, has made over 50 flights over the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April.

"I would just say when sugar dissolves in tea, does that render it harmless to diabetics? No," Sky News quoted Dr Bonny, as saying.

Dr Bonny, who is also the director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, is worried about the potential build up of some chemical compounds in the food chain.

However, assistant professor from the Louisiana Universities Marine Alexander Kolker has said that the marshes of the bayous fringing the Gulf have acted as a natural barrier and so they might prove to be beneficial for cleaning the environment.

Dr George Crozier, senior marine scientist and executive director of Dauphin Island sea lab, is particularly concerned about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs, which occur in oil and have been found to be carcinogenic.

"If we do see over the years fish accumulating PAH, it will almost certainly be attributable to Deepwater Horizon," he said.

"If it continues on, I can imagine 10 or 20 years from now there will be the same kind of health warnings about say, grouper or snapper from the centre of the Gulf, that apply to tuna from all over the world, for mercury," he added. (ANI)