Liposomes can serve as important vehicles in the containment of oil spills. Typically, when an oil spill occurs, the oil spreads quickly across the water. However, liposomes can help to stop this spread of oil. This allows for the oil to be mechanically skimmed or absorbed from the water, which makes oil spill cleanup efficient and manageable. Liposomes also lead to the quicker biodegradation of the oil by increasing the number of microorganisms that can get to the surface. The microscopic particles can simply form a bilayer of phospholipid molecules on the surface of the water, which will break the oil into smaller oil droplets. [Citation 45] [Citation 46]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liposomes in Oil Spill Containment

[Image Citation 47]