Biotransformation of oil hydrocarbons in Karkinitskii Bay of the Black Sea: Assessment based on mathematical modeling

Abstract

The transformation conditions of oil hydrocarbons in water are considered for the case of Karkinitskii Bay, the Black Sea, where gas deposits have been developed actively in recent years and oil product pollution of marine environment has been recorded repeatedly. Data on measured oil hydrocarbon concentrations, their input into the northwestern part of the Black Sea, and experimental estimates of oil decomposition in the marine environment are presented. The biotransformation conditions of oil hydrocarbons are simulated by reproducing the biochemical activity of microflora and effecting substrate consumption processes, metabolic product excretions, and biomass decay. These processes maintain the biogenic substance turnover in water environment. The calculations are based on the morphometric characteristics of Karkinitskii Bay, and mean long-term data on the monthly dynamics of marine environmental characteristics (temperature, light intensity, transparency, atmospheric precipitation, and the characteristics of water regime and Danube runoff). A check calculation was performed to reproduce the concentration dynamics of biogenic substances and oil products with allowance made for the effect of river runoff and background pollution of the marine environment. The numerical scenarios take into account the marine environmental pollution conditions (an immediate discharge of 1000, 500, or 200 t of oil products per week) in winter, spring, summer, and autumn. The obtained model estimates of the rates of oil product decomposition and oxygen consumption are shown to agree well with experimental data. The time required for the concentration of oil products to reach the MAC after pollution of the marine environment is estimated.