Weeks after sticky black balls washed up on the famous beaches of Sydney, Australia, scientists say they have partially solved the mystery behind the ‘disgusting’ blobs.
Initially thought to be tar balls, the golf ball-sized debris turned out to be something completely different: a combination of broken down cooking oil, hair and food waste, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said on Wednesday.
The study, conducted by the Australian government and scientists from the University of New South Wales, found that the black balls “likely originated from a source that releases mixed waste,” the EPA said in a statement.
“Authorities considered several possible causes, such as a shipping spill or sewage outflow,” the report said.
The exact origin has yet to be confirmed due to the “complex composition of the balls and the time they spent in the water,” the statement said. “But the final results will follow in the coming weeks.”
Thousands of dark balls were discovered on several Sydney beaches from mid-October, including the famous Bondi Beach, leading to beach closures across the city’s coast.
At the time, authorities advised the public not to swim near or touch the debris. They said preliminary test results indicated the blobs were tar balls formed when oil came into contact with debris and water.
However, further research has refuted this theory.
“What we found is much more – this isn’t going to sound very scientific – but much more disgusting than we previously thought,” said William Alexander Donald, a professor of chemistry at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, who is part of the study. team.
Although initial tests showed that the blobs were formed from crude oil or natural oil seeping from the ocean floor, further analysis revealed many “greasy, oily, greasy” molecules typical of used cooking oil and soap scum, as well as traces of recreational drugs. and birth control medications, Donald told NBC News.
“When tested, these balls smell worse than anything you’ve ever smelled – at least to me, worse than anything I’ve ever smelled,” Donald said, with all signs pointing to human waste that “could be.” clogging the sewer pipes.”
“This is a hugely complex analytical challenge where we have detected hundreds of different molecules and components in these blobs,” he said.
It would be interesting to see how common this type of debris is and whether scientists can trace it back to its exact source, Donald said, noting that his team has received a few unconfirmed reports of similar debris appearing in the past in similar areas have washed ashore. areas and even in the southeastern state of Victoria.
Sydney Water confirmed there were no problems at Bondi or Malabar water facilities, while Transport for NSW Maritime looked at recent weather patterns but found no clear answers, the statement said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
