Search results for "Oil spill"

The effects of oil spills on marine fish: Implications of spatial variation in natural mortality.

2017

The effects of oil spills on marine biological systems are of great concern, especially in regions with high biological production of harvested resources such as in the Northeastern Atlantic. The scientific studies of the impact of oil spills on fish stocks tend to ignore that spatial patterns of natural mortality may influence the magnitude of the impact over time. Here, we first illustrate how spatial variation in natural mortality may affect the population impact by considering a thought experiment. Second, we consider an empirically based example of Northeast Arctic cod to extend the concept to a realistic setting. Finally, we present a scenario-based investigation of how the degree of …

Assessment of the impacts of an oil spill on the populations of common guillemot (Uria aalge) and long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) - an expert kn…

2012

The amount of operated oil transports continues to increase in the Gulf of Finland and in the case of an accident hazardous amounts of oil may be spilled into the sea. The oil accident may be harmful for the common guillemot and long-tailed duck populations. In this study expert knowledge regarding the behaviour and population dynamics of common guillemot and long-tailed duck in the Gulf of Finland was used to build a model to assess the impacts of an oil spill on the mortality and population size of these species. The Bayesian networks were used in the modelling. Based on the results the breeding colony of guillemots in Aspskär may survive in the consequence of recolonization. In conclusio…

Monitoring Mediterranean marine pollution using remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling

2011

Human activities contaminate both coastal areas and open seas, even though impacts are different in terms of pollutants, ecosystems and recovery time. In particular, Mediterranean offshore pollution is mainly related to maritime transport of oil, accounting for 25% of the global maritime traffic and, during the last 25 years, for nearly 7% of the world oil accidents, thus causing serious biological impacts on both open sea and coastal zone habitats. This paper provides a general review of maritime pollution monitoring using integrated approaches of remote sensing and hydrodynamic modeling; focusing on the main results of the MAPRES (Marine pollution monitoring and detection by aerial survei…

Prevention of marine pollution from oil spill: The activities of MAPRES project

2008

Mediterranean Maritime Pollution: The Role Of Remote Sensing To Monitor And Mitigate

2010

Assessment of Arundo donax Fibers for Oil Spill Recovery Applications

2019

In the last years, natural fibers are increasingly investigated as an oil recovery system in order to overcome the oil spillage phenomena, thus preserving environment and aquatic life. In particular, lignocellulose-based fibers have recently been employed with promising results. In such a context, the aim of this paper is to assess the oil sorption capability of natural fibers extracted from the stem of the giant reed Arundo donax L., a perennial rhizomatous grass belonging to the Poaceae family that grows naturally all around the world thanks to its ability to tolerate different climatic conditions. Sorption tests in several pollutants and water as a reference were carried out. The fibers …

Surface Modified Arundo Donax Natural Fibers for Oil Spill Recovery

2021

The use of green materials for oil recovery applications is the goal to be achieved to reduce the environmental impact of these essential processes. In this context, Arundo Donax L. is a plant known for its wide uses whose absorbent properties have been previously investigated. In this paper, the influence of silane surface treatment on the absorbent behavior of natural fibers extracted from the culms of this eco-friendly and cost-effective material was assessed. A close correspondence has been identified between the physical characteristics of the investigated oil and the fiber size, by means of microstructural and morphological analysis. Excellent results have been achieved with an absorp…

Arundo Donax Fibers as Green Materials for Oil Spill Recovery

2020

Oil spillage is considered one of the most devastating forms of pollution, for its effect on the environment, particularly on aquatic life. This kind of disaster can impact in two ways, directly caused by the polluting spilled oil or due to the cleanup process. In fact, oil floating on water does not allow sunlight to pass through and its toxicity puts the life of aquatic animals at risk. Furthermore, other factors can also contribute to this damage. In fact, a wrong oil recovery system can add a further pollution level. Polymer sorbents used for the oil spill recovery, if not properly treated, increase the level of marine and ground pollution. For this reason, in the last years, green mate…

Biodegradable Membrane with High Porosity and Hollow Structure Obtained via Electrospinning for Oil Spill Clean-up Application

2023

The use of biodegradable polymers for the production of membranes to be used in wastewater treatment has attracted increasing interest considering the possibility of reducing the risk of second pollution. In this work, porous fibrous membranes based on polylactic acid and polyethylene oxide (PEO) blends were prepared. The solutions were electrospun using two approaches: (i) conventional coaxial electrospinning followed by leaching treatment (double-step, DS); (ii) coaxial wet electrospinning with in situ leaching (single-step, SS). By varying PEO type and processing method it was possible to control membranes structure and porosity. DS leaching treatment lead to surface porosity (i.e. shell…

An assembly of organic-inorganic composites using halloysite clay nanotubes

2018

Halloysite is natural tubular clay suitable as a component of biocompatible nanosystems with specific functionalities. The selective modification of halloysite inner/outer surfaces can be achieved by exploiting supramolecular and covalent interactions resulting in controlled colloidal stability adjusted to the solvent polarity. The functionalized halloysite nanotubes can be employed as reinforcing filler for polymers as well as carriers for the sustained release of active molecules, such as antioxidants, flame-retardants, corrosion inhibitors, biocides and drugs. The tubular morphology makes halloysite a perspective template for core-shell metal supports for mesoporous catalysts. The cataly…