Time series evaluation of oil spill in marine environment: a case study in marine area of Cyprus

Abstract

The eastern Levantine Sea is known as one of the illegal discharge regions of the world. Nevertheless, the coastal waters of Cyprus are famous for its crystal clear oligotrophic waters in spite of the fact that its exposure to high pollution pressure is due mainly to the intensive touristic and maritime activities. This study aimed to evaluate and understand the oil spill dynamics in the marine area surrounding Cyprus over a period of 18 months between January 2017 and June 2018. A practical method utilizing multiple products of satellite remote-sensing was used to detect and evaluate oil spill events in the study area. A total of 122 images were available for the study period. Results showed that average coverage per sampling days was 0.10%. A small portion of the study area, which is 0.05%, showed relatively intense oil spill detection. However, none of the region showed constant reoccurrence of oil spill detection. The analysis showed that the marine area has a low oil spill intensity. Additionally, intensity and reoccurrence of oil spill events are relatively higher in the main ports of Cyprus and the main routes of maritime traffic. It is concluded that continuous monitoring of oil spill detection in the marine areas will provide an important contribution to implement effective management plans by increasing understanding of impacts on marine ecosystem. It is also provide a baseline for detection and implementation of precautionary or recovery actions of any possible oil spill accident in high- or low-risk zones.