Remediation Technologies for Marine Oil Spills: A Critical Review and Comparative Analysis

Problem statement: Anthropogenic activities pollute the oceans with oil through land run off, vessels accidents, periodic tanker discharges and bilge discharges. Oil spills are environmental disasters that impact human, plants and wild life including birds, fish and mammals. Approach: In this study, the International Guidelines for Preventing Oils Spills and Response to Disasters were reviewed and the characteristics of oil spills were discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of various oil spill response methods were evaluated. A comparative analysis were performed on the currently available remediation technologies using 10 evaluation criteria that included cost, efficiency, time, impact on wild life, reliability, level of difficulty, oil recovery, weather, effect on physical/chemical characteristics of oil and the need for further treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of each response method were used to determine the score assigned to that method. Results: There are many government regualtions for individual countries that serve as prevention mesures for oil spills in the offshore environment. They have to do with the design of equipment and machinery used in the offshore environment and performing the necessary safety inspections. The primary objectives of response to oil spill are: to prevent the spill from moving onto shore, reduce the impact on marine life and speed the degradation of any unrecovered oil. There are several physical, chemical, thermal and biological remediation technologies for oil spills including booms, skimmers, sorbents, dispersants, in-situ burning and bioremediation. Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages and the choice of a particular technique will depend on: type of oil, physical, biological and economical characteristics of the spill, location, weather and sea conditions, amount spilled and rate of spillage, depth of water column, time of the year and effectiveness of technique. Coclusion: Based on the comparative analysis, oil recovery with mechanical methods and the application of dispersants followed by bioremediation is the most effective response for marine oil spill.

[1]  Z. Lucas,et al.  Characterization and source of oil contamination on the beaches and seabird corpses, Sable Island, Nova Scotia, 1996-2005. , 2006, Marine pollution bulletin.

[2]  R. Frost,et al.  Porous Materials for Oil Spill Cleanup: A Review of Synthesis and Absorbing Properties , 2003 .

[3]  R. Atlas,et al.  Stimulated biodegradation of oil slicks using oleophilic fertilizers. , 1971, Environmental science & technology.

[4]  Mervin F. Fingas,et al.  The effectiveness testing of oil spill-treating agents , 1995 .

[5]  M. Fingas,et al.  Effectiveness testing of spill-treating agents , 1990 .

[6]  I. Buist,et al.  In Situ Burning , 1999 .

[7]  J. Gorostiaga,et al.  Ecological monitoring of intertidal phytobenthic communities of the Basque Coast (N. Spain) following the Prestige oil spill , 2009, Environmental monitoring and assessment.

[8]  I. I. Sawsan,et al.  OIL SPILL SORPTION USING CARBONIZED PITH BAGASSE. APPLICATION OF CARBONIZED PITH BAGASSE AS LOOSE FIBER , 2009 .

[9]  Huijun Jin,et al.  Bioremediation of Oil Spills in Cold Environments: A Review , 2009 .

[10]  Joseph V. Mullin,et al.  Introduction/Overview to In Situ Burning of Oil Spills , 2003 .

[11]  Roger C. Prince,et al.  Bioremediation of Marine Oil Spills , 2003 .

[12]  L. Holakoo.  On the capability of rhamnolipids for oil spill control of surface water , 2001 .

[13]  A. A. Amer,et al.  Oil spill sorption using carbonized pith bagasse: 1. Preparation and characterization of carbonized pith bagasse , 2008 .

[14]  G. Alther.  Removing oils FROM WATER with organoclays , 2002 .

[15]  V. I. Ugursal,et al.  Remediation of diesel-oil-contaminated soil using peat , 1999 .

[16]  J. Braddock,et al.  Environmental Influences on the Microbial Degradation of Exxon Valdez Oil on the Shorelines of Prince William Sound, Alaska , 1997 .

[17]  G. Deschamps,et al.  Oil removal from water by selective sorption on hydrophobic cotton fibers. 1. Study of sorption properties and comparison with other cotton fiber-based sorbents. , 2003, Environmental science & technology.

[18]  Nikolaos P Ventikos,et al.  A high-level synthesis of oil spill response equipment and countermeasures. , 2004, Journal of hazardous materials.

[19]  E. Lois,et al.  Investigation of the effectiveness of absorbent materials in oil spills clean up , 2001 .

[20]  S. Amico,et al.  Experimental investigation of various vegetable fibers as sorbent materials for oil spills. , 2005, Marine pollution bulletin.

[21]  Mohamed Hasnain Isa,et al.  Effect of Initial Oil Concentration and Dispersant on Crude Oil Biodegradation in Contaminated Seawater , 2010, Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[22]  C. Cerniglia,et al.  Bioremediation of petroleum pollutants: Diversity and environmental aspects of hydrocarbon biodegradation , 1995 .

[23]  W. Jarre,et al.  Polyurethanschäume mit hohem ölabsorptionsvermögen , 1979 .

[24]  S. Banerjee,et al.  Treatment of oil spill by sorption technique using fatty acid grafted sawdust. , 2006, Chemosphere.

[25]  R. Swannell,et al.  Field evaluations of marine oil spill bioremediation. , 1996, Microbiological reviews.

[26]  R. Delaune,et al.  Effectiveness of “Nochar” Solidifier Polymer in Removing Oil from Open Water in Coastal Wetlands , 1999 .

[27]  A. M. Solanas,et al.  The Prestige oil spill. 2. Enhanced biodegradation of a heavy fuel oil under field conditions by the use of an oleophilic fertilizer. , 2006, Environmental science & technology.

[28]  Kenneth Lee,et al.  Oil Spill Response: A Global Perspective , 2008 .

[29]  Merv Fingas,et al.  Review of Solidifiers , 2011 .

[30]  Gemechu Ejersa Getu.  In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of , 2011 .

[31]  E. Moyer.  Chemical and Physical Properties , 2003 .

[32]  R. Anadón,et al.  Effects of the 'Prestige' oil spill on macroalgal assemblages: large-scale comparison. , 2008, Marine pollution bulletin.

[33]  Per S. Daling,et al.  Weathering of Oils at Sea: Model/Field Data Comparisons , 1999 .

[34]  L. H. Keith,et al.  Chemical and physical properties , 1992 .

[35]  Rinn M. Cloud,et al.  Natural sorbents in oil spill cleanup , 1992 .

[36]  A. Moutsatsou,et al.  Surface modification of high calcium fly ash for its application in oil spill clean up , 2010 .

[37]  James N. Butler,et al.  USING OIL SPILL DISPERSANTS ON THE SEA , 1989 .

[38]  Albert D. Venosa,et al.  Screening of commercial inocula for efficacy in stimulating oil biodegradation in closed laboratory system , 1991 .

[39]  James R. Payne,et al.  Petroleum Spills in the Marine Environment: The Chemistry and Formation of Water-In-Oil Emulsions and Tar Balls , 2017 .

[40]  R. R. Lessard,et al.  The Significance of Oil Spill Dispersants , 2000 .

[41]  E. Harner,et al.  Effectiveness of bioremediation for the Exxon Valdez oil spill , 1994, Nature.

[42]  Ronald M. Atlas,et al.  Petroleum biodegradation and oil spill bioremediation , 1995 .

[43]  J. L. Simmons,et al.  Oil and water separation in marine oil spill clean-up operations , 1996 .

[44]  G. Capotorti,et al.  Pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene Metabolism by an Aspergillus Terreus Strain Isolated from a Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Polluted Soil , 2004, Biodegradation.

[45]  Spray Oils,et al.  CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PETROLEUM , 2010 .