Mysterious black blobs that washed up in Sydney a few weeks ago are not just tar balls, as previously identified. A new analysis has found that they are much more disgusting than initially thought. These balls are fat deposits made up of human feces, forever chemicals, and methamphetamine.
Notably, in mid-October, hundreds of so-called tar balls filled Sydney’s beaches, causing panic among people. The beaches had to be closed for days and clean-up operations were started. Workers in hazmat suits collected the balls and sent them for testing.
At the time, it was determined that they were tar balls formed by an oil spill. They were said to contain unrefined oil and debris, but were “not extremely toxic” to humans.
But further testing by scientists at the University of New South Wales revealed the extremely crude nature of these balls. The researchers explain in The Conversation that although the blobs are mainly made of carbon, they are not made of fossil fuels.
Human feces in balls
Using a method called spectroscopy, they discovered that the balls contained “human waste” and some fats and oils. They also noted the presence of fatty molecules commonly found in soap scum, cooking oil and food sources.
Mass spectrometry further revealed organic molecules such as fatty acids and glycerides, along with “vehicle-grade fuels.”
Traces of forever chemicals were also found in the balls, as they were found to contain toxic industrial chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl substances. Then they also had pesticides, steroid compounds such as norgestrel, veterinary drugs and certain medications.
Human fecal waste was the most disgusting contents of the balls. It contained traces of cholesterol molecules and recreational drugs such as methamphetamine and tetrahydrocannabinol from cannabis.
Researchers believe the balls come from domestic wastewater and industrial runoff.
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Anamica Singh
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