The M/C Haven Oil Spill: Environmental Assessment of Exposure Pathways and Resource Injury

Martinelli, Massimo; Luise, Anna; Tromellini, Elisabetta; Sauer, Theodor C.; Neff, Jerry M.; Douglas, Gregory S.

doi:10.7901/2169-3358-1995-1-679

Cited by 14 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The exploitation and transportation of crude oil in marine environments have resulted in numerous catastrophic oil spills that ended up contaminating coastal ecosystems. − When oil spills contaminate shorelines, the biodegradation of stranded petroleum hydrocarbons becomes much slower, − especially in the upper intertidal and supratidal zones. ,,− In addition, if the concentration of suspended particles in subtidal zones , is high (e.g., 400–800 mg/L), the oil droplets get trapped by the particles, , thereby slowing down their biodegradation due to entrainment and settlement. − …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Formation of Oil Particle Aggregates: Breakup and Biodegradation

Abou-Khalil

Jayalakshmamma

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Spilled oil slicks are likely to break into droplets in the subtidal and intertidal zones of seashores due to wave energy. The nonliving suspended fine particles in coastal ecosystems can interact with the dispersed oil droplets, resulting in the formation of Oil Particle Aggregates (OPAs). Many investigations assumed that these aggregates will settle due to the particles’ high density. Recent studies, however, reported that some particles penetrate the oil droplets, which results in further breakup while forming smaller OPAs that remain suspended in the water column. Here, we investigated the interaction of crude oil droplets with intertidal and subtidal sediments, as well as artificial pure kaolinite, in natural seawater. Results showed that the interaction between oil droplets and intertidal sediments was not particularly stable, with an Oil Trapping Efficiency (OTE) < 25%. When using subtidal sediments, OTE reached 56%. With artificial kaolinite, OPA formation and breakup were more significant (OTE reaching up to 67%) and occurred faster (within 12 h). Oil chemistry analysis showed that the biodegradation of oil in seawater (half-life of 485 h) was significantly enhanced with the addition of sediments, with half-lives of 305, 265, and 150 h when adding intertidal sediments, subtidal sediments, and pure kaolinite, respectively. Such results reveal how the sediments’ shape and size affect the various oil–sediment interaction mechanisms, and the subsequent impact on the microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Future studies should consider investigating the application of fine (several microns) and sharp (elongated-sheeted) sediments as a nondestructive and nontoxic technique for dispersing marine oil spills.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Formation of Oil Particle Aggregates: Breakup and Biodegradation

Abou-Khalil

Jayalakshmamma

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Catastrophic oil spills have contaminated several coastal ecosystems in the past, for example, during the Gulf War, the spills from the Exxon Valdez, Erika, and Haven tankers, and the blowouts of the Ixtoc-1 and Deepwater Horizon , wells. We have investigated oil biodegradation in sand columns prepared by mixing beach sand with natural inoculum (seawater) at different salinities while achieving a moisture content similar to that in supratidal zones.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Upper Parts of Sandy Beaches

Abou-Khalil

Prince²,

Greer

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The biodegradation of dispersed crude oil in the ocean is relatively rapid (a half-life of a few weeks). However, it is often much slower on shorelines, usually attributed to low moisture content, nutrient limitation, and higher oil concentrations in beaches than in dispersed plumes. Another factor may be the increased salinity of the upper intertidal and supratidal zones because these parts of the beach are potentially subject to prolonged evaporation and only intermittent inundation. We have investigated whether such an increase in salinity has inhibitory effects on oil biodegradation in seashores. Lightly weathered Hibernia crude oil was added to beach sand at 1 or 10 mL/kg, and fresh seawater, at salinities of 30, 90, and 160 g/L, was added to 20% saturation. The biodegradation of oil was slower at higher salinities, where the half-life increased from 40 days at 30 g/L salts to 58 and 76 days at 90 and 160 g/L salts, respectively, and adding fertilizers somewhat enhanced oil biodegradation. Increased oil concentration in the sand, from 1 to 10 mL/kg, slowed the half-life by about 10-fold. Consequently, occasional irrigation with fertilization could be a suitable bioremediation strategy for the upper parts of contaminated beaches. However, dispersing oil at sea is probably the most suitable option for the optimal removal of spilled crude oil from the marine environment.

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