The National Research Council report Understanding
Oil Spill Dispersants: Efficacy and Effects (2005) assesses
the scientific questions related to the use of dispersants,
a group of chemicals that act like soap to help dilute
large oil spills. They work to reduce the oily contamination
of wildlife and shoreline habitats by allowing the
oil to be dispersed into the surrounding waters. However,
in semi-enclosed coastal areas, the oil may not be
diluted sufficiently by dispersants to reduce its toxicity
to marine life.