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Environmental Science

How Petrochemical Spills Persist in Groundwater

Quick fact

A single liter of gasoline can render a million liters of groundwater undrinkable, and fuel spilled decades ago can still be leaching chemicals into water today because the oil forms a separate layer that remains trapped underground.

Why this is interesting

You might think that a fuel spill near a river would wash away, but decades after an oil tanker accident, groundwater can still be contaminated. How does that happen?