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Chemical analysis of these life forms also showed that oil was present in many organs (Royal Commission, 1971). Periwinkles even contained oil in their feces. While oiled, species remained alive and perwinkles even appeared to be migrating from oiled to clean locations. As temperatures rose, snails moved up the shore into severely oiled areas and their shells remained oiled (Ford, 1971).
Early in March 1970, zooplankton samples (Conover, 1971) were obtained from the upper waters throughout Chedabucto Bay and is visually examined for oil. Zooplankton appeared to have an oil-like substance and chemical analysis of feces, showed 2.4% Bunker 'C'. The animals with these small particles voided them within 24 hours and showed no signs of distress. The oil passed through, largely unaltered, was defecated with other undigested food, remained in the form of fecal pellets considerably denser than sea water and therefore sank. This may have constituted an important natural clean up process of oil in the sea as the pellets contain a concentrated bacterial flow which should hasten the biodegradation of oil (Conover, 1971).