Real-Time Thickness Measurement of Marine Oil Spill by Fiber-Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors

Wei Qi,Renliang Huang,Heng Chang,Huiting Yin,Jiayue Liu,Shaohuang Chen,Zhimin He,Rongxin Su

doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.764970

Abstract

Rapid detection of marine oil spills is becoming increasingly critical in the face of frequent marine oil spills. Oil slick thickness measurement is critical in the hazard assessment of such oil leaks. As surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are sensitive to slight changes in refractive index, they can monitor offshore oil spills arising from significant differences in the refractive index between oil and water. This study presents a gold-film fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (FOSPR) sensor prepared by polydopamine accelerated wet chemical plating for rapid and real-time measurement of oil slick thickness. We examined oil thickness detection at two interfaces, namely, water-oil and air-oil. Detection sensitivity of −1.373%/mm is obtained at the water-oil interface in the thickness range of 0–5 mm; detection sensitivity of −2.742%/mm is obtained at the air-oil interface in the thickness range of 0–10 mm. Temperature and salinity present negligible effects on the oil slick thickness measurement. The fabricated FOSPR sensor has the ability to detect the presence of oil as well as quantify the oil thickness. It has favorable repeatability and reusability, demonstrating the significant potential for use in the estimation of marine oil slick thickness.

Highlights

Oil spills have emerged as a major threat to marine ecosystems in recent years, arousing considerable political, environmental, and scientific concern (Beyer et al, 2016; Wan and Chen, 2018; Naz et al, 2021)
As the refractive index changes in the surrounding environment arising from oil spillage, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra change, and the entire sensing region of the fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (FOSPR) sensor provides a detection function (Wolfbeis, 2008)
While adding a certain amount of petroleum, the FOSPR sensor was raised upward to keep it at the top of the sensing region at the air-oil interface (Figure 2A)

Summary

Introduction

Oil spills have emerged as a major threat to marine ecosystems in recent years, arousing considerable political, environmental, and scientific concern (Beyer et al, 2016; Wan and Chen, 2018; Naz et al, 2021). The large-scale industrial disaster caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform of British Petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in an estimated 200-milliongallon oil spill. Oil Spill Measurement by FOSPR resulted in adverse health effects and significant damage to the gulf ecosystem (Rotkin-Ellman et al, 2010; Schaum et al, 2010; Leifer et al, 2012). Oil spills are harmful to large areas, including numerous habitats, species, and ecological functions (Beyer et al, 2016). Offshore oil spills share the characteristics of rapid onset, large distribution, and high drift and dispersion dynamics (Peterson et al, 2003)

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion