**4. Conclusions**

Oil is an important industrial commodity worldwide. Although there is a lot of talk about replacing it in the context of climate change, its use is unlikely to stop in the next few years. Its extraction, transport, and use are associated with leaks into the environment during accidents or during normal operation. Petroleum substances have a very harmful effect on the environment, affect the oxygen regime in water and soil, are toxic to aquatic organisms and animals as well as to humans.

The chapter deals with mechanical methods for oil spill removal. The first part briefly describes the interactions of oily substances in the water environment, the distribution of oil particles in water bodies, their harmful effects and ecotoxicity. The main part deals with the possibilities of cleaning oil spills using physical (mechanical) methods. The use of oil containment booms, oil skimmers, and sorbents in accidental oil spills solutions is explained and described.

Based on research, experiments, and studies, the effectiveness of several types of sorbents is compared. The determination of nonpolar hydrocarbons in water after cleanup process proved that these cleaning procedures must be combined with other methods, because the water does not meet the limit requirements for surface water. Although the removal of oil pollution was very effective, not a single water sample met the criteria for discharge into the recipient. The chapter also describes testing the sorption capacity of absorption sock, which can be used for smaller oil spills removal, because it is advantageous to combine two functions—containment of oil and recovery of oil compounds.

The advantages and disadvantages of individual cleanup methods are summarized too. Although development and progress in the use of new procedures, innovative technical equipment and devices, progressive materials, and cleanup process methods are still progressing, the best way for humanity and the environment is to prevent and avoid oil spills and at the same time be as well prepared as possible to deal with accidents.
