Trace elements of dispersants 'found in Gulf of Mexico marine life'

A publication claims to have detected trace elements of the dispersants used to deal with the Deepwater Horizon in aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico.

Truthout, an independent publication which says its goal is to broaden the themes of political discussion, hired an unnamed scientist to conduct gas chromatography on samples it obtained from the beaches of the Gulf.

Among them was a dead jellyfish which was found to have trace elements in its body consistent with the ingredients of the dispersants used by BP to combat the oil slick.

These include 15 ppm of ethanol and levels of n-Butanol, while the article author claims the jellyfish's location - on Long Beach, Mississippi - was close to a quantity of thick brown foam.

According to the publication, tests of saltwater treated with the dispersants and a quantity of oil in the laboratory show the formation of a similar foam which does not dissolve over a number of days.