Ballast Water Treatment Research Articles

Formation of halogenated disinfection by-products during ballast water chlorination

This work explored the bioactivity of ballast water chlorination and investigated influencing factors of the formation of THMs and HAAs under different conditions. The results will provide useful recommendation for ballast water treatment technology.

Analysis of Flow State in Venturi Tube for Fine Bubble Generation

Bubbles with a diameter of 100 μm or less are called fine bubbles, which have been applied widely in the industrial fields due to its strong detergent, bactericidal effect, and bioactivity. Ballast water is the seawater to stabilize the center of gravity of a ship. In water purification, a technology has been developed to reduce the dissolved oxygen (D.O.) concentration and pH by mixing water with gas to deaerate D.O. and dissolving CO2, but gas is mixed with such water. When purifying water quality, it is important to reduce the bubble diameter when gas is mixed with water, and to improve the efficiency of dissolving CO2 by degassing D.O.. In this research, a method to improve the mixing efficiency of ballast water treatment equipment by improving the fine bubble generation efficiency of the venturi tube is investigated by experiment and simulation analysis. We design venturi tubes with different divergent angles and investigate the optimized geometric combination by experiment and numerical simulation for improving the fine bubble size and volume. From the experimental results, we find that in the nozzles with small divergent angles the low pressure region becomes longer and the pressure recovery slows down, which promote the breakup of bubbles. The simulation results show that in the nozzles with the divergent angles of 15°and 20°, the affection region of gas-liquid two-phase flow becomes larger, and the concentration of bubbles near the wall or near the center of the nozzle will promote the breakup process of bubbles.

Determination of the Appropriate Ballast Water Treatment Systems Based on the Voyage Regions for Turkish Shipowners' Companies

Abstract Ships must be equipped with ballast water treatment systems to comply with the D-2 standard of the Ballast Water Management Convention. It is required that the adaptation processes of all ships must be completed by September 8, 2024, according to the timetable created by the International Maritime Organization. There are many ballast water treatment systems that shipowners' companies can adopt in the market. The characteristics of the treatment methods used in these systems are different from one another. There are strengths and weaknesses relative to each method. In this process, the choice of one of these ballast water treatment systems is a perplexing problem for shipowners' companies, whose ships have different tonnage and voyage regions. In this context, this study aims to clarify criteria used in the selection of a ballast water treatment system by Turkish shipowners' companies based on the voyage regions of ships. The relative weight of criteria for both international transporting companies and coastal transporting companies are calculated using analytical hierarchy process. Consequently, the most suitable ballast water treatment systems for these two companies are determined using both Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution and VIKOR, and the factors that play a role in this choice were discussed comparatively.

COMPARISON OF LAND-BASED TEST SETUPS FOR A BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Two land-based setups were tested at different locations using the same combined treatment technologies, to assess the effect of different control and treated tanks condition as well as overall effectiveness of a ballast water treatment system. The test procedure included a five day storage period of organisms in the control and treated tanks as specifically advised in the type approval procedure for shipboard and land-based tests described in the IMO Guideline ‘G8’. The configurations and materials of control and treated tanks used in each test location were different resulting in invalid test results at one testing location.

BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES ON BOARD SHIPS

Cases of bioinvasion in Brazil and abroad have been causing serious environmental and economic problems of great order. Cases such as the golden mussel, the zebra mussel, and the North Pacific star, among others, caused economic problems in the fishing activity, and in the industry, such as cases of clogging in coolers and maintenance in hydroelectric turbines. The cholera epidemic took place a long time ago, this was also due to the transport of ballast between continents. Onshore ballast water treatments are quite costly and require logistical support. Ballast water treatment on board despite having to change the project, and having physical space in the engine room seems to be an excellent alternative, there are already projects being manufactured, and these have already been approved by the IMO. There is also the alternative of reusing ballast water, through desalination by reverse osmosis, in which fresh water is obtained that can be used for other purposes. The present work aims to demonstrate the problems arising from bioinvasion, and ballast water treatment alternatives, and their advantages.

Ballast water management: technology choice comparing TODIM and THOR 2

This paper approaches the problem of ballast water treatment in ships. This has been identified as one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. Solutions that have been considered for solving the problem are alternative water treatment technologies. In the case study reported in this paper three major water treatment technologies have been evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative by using two discrete multicriteria methods, TODIM and THOR 2. The THOR 2 consists of the axiomatic evolution of the THOR method and both THOR 2 and THOR are made available through the THOR Web platform. Five groups of evaluation criteria are then considered: practicality; biological effectiveness; cost/benefit ratio; time frame for the implementation of standards; and environmental impact of the process' sub-products. In this paper a case study on choosing a ballast water treatment technology is presented. Three alternative ballast water management technologies are proposed by experts in the field and are evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative. Each ballast water management method is described by a list of twenty-six attributes or criteria. After setting the problem in a clear way and consulting different experts, the two separate applications of both TODIM and THOR 2 are performed. What is denoted as Management Method #1 is indeed chosen as the best alternative according to both methods. The conclusion is that those two methods, although conceptually and analytically quite different, lead essentially to the same main results. Two other applications of both TODIM and THOR have indeed confirmed the convergence of results in spite of the conceptual and technical differences between the two methods. This suggests that formulating a decision problem in a correct, clear-cut way can be at least as important as the technical characteristics of the method per se.

Effects of UV Radiation on the Chlorophyte Micromonas polaris Host-Virus Interactions and MpoV-45T Virus Infectivity.

Polar seas are under threat of enhanced UV-radiation as well as increasing shipping activities. Considering the ecological importance of marine viruses, it is timely to study the impact of UV-AB on Arctic phytoplankton host–virus interactions and also test the efficacy of ballast water (BW) UV-C treatment on virus infectivity. This study examined the effects of: (i) ecologically relevant doses of UV-AB radiation on Micromonas polaris RCC2258 and its virus MpoV-45T, and (ii) UV-C radiation (doses 25–800 mJ cm−2) on MpoV-45T and other temperate algal viruses. Total UV-AB exposure was 6, 12, 28 and 48 h (during the light periods, over 72 h total). Strongest reduction in algal growth and photosynthetic efficiency occurred for 28 and 48 h UV-AB treatments, and consequently the virus production rates and burst sizes were reduced by more than half (compared with PAR-only controls). For the shorter UV-AB exposed cultures, negative effects by UV (especially Fv/Fm) were overcome without impacting virus proliferation. To obtain the BW desired log−4 reduction in virus infectivity, a UV-C dose of at least 400 mJ cm−2 was needed for MpoV-45T and the temperate algal viruses. This is higher than the commonly used dose of 300 mJ cm−2 in BW treatment.

Principles of collection and plankton sample handling from ballast tanks to assess the efficiency of ship ballast water treatment systems

Based on the material collected in 2004–2006 and 2009–2010 in the Novorossiysk Sea Port from the ships of the merchant fleet as well as the literature data, the collection and sample handling methods of phyto- and zooplankton from ballast tanks were analyzed. To assess the efficiency of the ballast water treatment systems (BWTS), there should be introduced correct definitions of the number, size and taxa of viable phyto- and zooplankton organisms in the IMO BWM documents. It is recommended to use closed Sorokin-type chambers of different sizes for express analysis (microscopy) of nanoplankton and microplankton on board a ship. To control compliance with the ballast water discharge standard, the mortality ratio of aquatic organisms should be 100% in the decontaminated ballast water. Effective decontamination of ballast water using UV irradiation is not possible unless BWTS is installed on the ballast water flow (draining) from the vessel. It is necessary to develop instructions for carrying out the procedure for obtaning ballast water samples for different types of ships and analyzing them for the facilities under the technical supervision of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. The aim of the study is to analyze the basic principles of collecting and sample handling of phyto- and zooplankton from the ballast tanks to control their compliance with the standard for ballast water discharge into the territorial waters of the Russian Federation.

Evaluating the contingency treatment performance of advanced electro-catalysis oxidation processes for marine bacteria in ballast water.

Effects of ballast water treatment by advanced electro-catalysis oxidation processes (AEOP) on abundance, activity, and diversity of marine bacteria were examined in a full-scale ballast water management system (BWMS) at Yangshan Port, Shanghai, China. Water samples were collected immediately after treatment and at discharge to evaluate the contingency treatment performance of the BWMS for bacteria. After treatment, the total viable count reduced to 0.7 × 104 CFU·mL-1, and both Escherichia coli and enterococci decreased to 10 CFU·100 mL-1, which satisfied the D-2 Standard of the International Maritime Organization. AEOP can be as an effective contingency reception facility. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons demonstrated the declining trend in bacterial diversity, and while the treatment did not completely eliminate the risk of bacterial dispersal, potentially pathogenic bacteria survived in treated and discharged samples. Bacterial diversity is of greater concern when evaluating effects of ballast water treatment on microorganisms because the bacteria which can develop adaptive mechanisms to environmental change will have a greater potential for invasion in the new environment.

Integrated Biological Risk and Cost Model Analysis Supports a Geopolitical Shift in Ballast Water Management.

This work evaluates efficacies of plausible ballast water management strategies and standards by integrating a global species spread risk assessment with a policy cost-effectiveness analysis. Specifically, we consider species spread risks and costs of port- and vessel-based strategies under both current organism concentration standards and stricter standards proposed by California. For each scenario, we estimate species spread risks and patterns using a higher-order analysis of a global ship-borne species spread model and estimate fleet costs for vessel- and barge-based ballast water treatment systems for each standard. We find that stricter standards may reduce species spread risk by a factor of 17 globally and would greatly simplify the complex network of ship-borne species spread. The current policy of IMO standards is most cost-effectively achieved through ship-based treatment, and that any additional risk reduction will be most cost-effectively achieved by port-based (or barge-based) technologies, particularly if these are strategically implemented at the top ports within the largest clusters. Barge-based ballast water management would require a shift in governance, and we suggest that this next level of policymaking could be feasible for special areas designated by the IMO, by State or multistate authorities, or by voluntary port applications.

Analysis of the experimental ballast water treatment system

The object of research is the experimentally created model of the accompanying ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) at the Danube Institute of the National University «Odessa Maritime Academy». (Izmail, Odessa region, Ukraine). The study is aimed at assessing the compliance of ballast water quality standard D-2 ballast water operational cycles by disinfection and purification. One of the most problematic places of the presented research is the renewal (acquisition) of a separate node segmentation of the experimental BWTS with attraction of certain material support (investment). In particular, it is the scaling of BWTS, presentation in the state market of Ukraine, abroad (competition), qualitative assessment, certification at the level of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration (USPA), the register of maritime shipping. Elimination of the above «problem-tasks» will contribute to the collective research support, opinion and effective steps of professionals-researchers, in particular, in the maritime industry (experts IMO – International Maritime Organization, professors, academicians TAS – Transport Academy of Sciences). Also, compatible contribution of significant research results to separately oriented projects (European, Ukrainian) with attraction of investors, mentors, maritime industry business. The research used modern practices of design of such accompanying BWTS, referring to innovative methods, methodologies of global production of such structures of famous world brands, for example, Alfa Laval, Wartsila, OceanSaver, Hyde Marine, Industrie de Nora, etc. Researchers have qualitatively and consistently studied the generally accepted series of technological processes for ballast water treatment, observing classical according to the analytical review of literature sources and in the modern coverage (state) of similar stages of ballast water decontamination/cleaning. Qualitative expression of the received result is a number of conducted researches of disinfection/purification of sea outboard water in laboratory conditions on experimental BWTS. Thanks to the latter the reliability of the presented data is provided, which coincide (are identical) with trustworthy, established by the BW quality standard D-2, that are specified in discussion and conclusion of the given work.

Multivariate analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Port Valdez, Alaska, 1989–2019

Sampling was conducted in Port Valdez, the site of the Valdez marine oil terminal where crude oil is loaded onto tankers for ocean shipment, to characterize sediment polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations arising from discharge of treated ballast-water from 1989 to 2019. Sediment PAH concentrations have declined since 1991 due to technological improvements in ballast water treatment processes and reductions in the volume of water treated. Spatial variations are associated with water depth reflecting geological and oceanographic characteristics. Comparisons between uncorrected hydrocarbon (compatible with data from 1989 to 2002) and surrogate-corrected concentrations for 2003–2019 suggest minor influence by corrections on inferences. It appears that if reliable measurements are made, the number of analytes and surrogate corrections have minimal influence for characterizing the directions and strengths of spatial and temporal change like that observed in Port Valdez. At present, PAH concentrations in the study area represent low risk for ecological effects.

Multi-wave UV-photocatalysis system (UVA+UVC+VUV/Cu-N-TiO2) for efficient inactivation of microorganisms in ballast water

Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) is a system designed to remove biological organisms from ballast water. However, the existing BWTSs often have problems in practical applications. In this study, a multiwave ultraviolet (UV)-modified TiO2 photocatalyst biological inactivation system (longwave UV, UVA+shortwave UV, UVC+vacuum UV, VUV/Cu-N-TiO2) for microorganism inactivation in ballast water was established. The results showed that the UVA+UVC+VUV/Cu-N-TiO2 system improved the UV light quantum yield and catalyst activity in the photocatalytic reaction and fully utilized the synergistic inactivation effect of Cu-N-TiO2 photocatalyst+ multiwave UV light (UVA, UVC, and VUV) on microorganisms. Compared with 8 other photocatalytic systems, the logarithmic algae removal rate and logarithmic sterilization rate of the UVA+UVC+VUV/Cu-N-TiO2 system increased to 1.78 log and 5.86 log, respectively. The turbidity of the seawater affected the microorganism inactivation to a certain extent. The humic acid concentration should be controlled below 2 mg L−1 for the UVA+UVC+VUV/Cu-N-TiO2 system to inactivate microalgae more effectively. The multiwave UV photocatalytic system could significantly increase the lipid peroxidation products in microbial cells, rapidly reduce superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and degrade a large amount of chlorophyll within a short hydraulic residence time (HRT). Severe damage to the microbial cell membrane can destroy the normal functions of cells, resulting in the death of microorganisms. In conclusion, the UVA+UVC+VUV/Cu-N-TiO2 system is a potential new ballast water treatment system.

Performance analysis of machine learning for fault diagnosis of ballast water treatment system

Performance analysis of machine learning for fault diagnosis of ballast water treatment system

Do Ballast Water Management Systems Reduce Phytoplankton Introductions to Canadian Waters?

Global coastal aquatic ecosystems are negatively impacted by the introduction of harmful aquatic species through the discharge of ships’ ballast water. To reduce discharges of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens, such as toxic phytoplankton species, ships are now transitioning to the use of ballast water management systems (BWMS) instead of ballast water exchange (BWE). This study examines the abundance and diversity of phytoplankton in ballast water managed by BWMS (or a combination of both BWE + BWMS) in comparison to those in ballast water managed by BWE alone (collected from ships arriving to Canada’s Pacific coast in 2017–2018 and 2008, respectively). The abundance and diversity of phytoplankton species were also examined in relation to key variables such as ballast water salinity and ballast water age. Total abundance of phytoplankton was significantly lower in preserved samples managed by either a BWMS or BWE + BWMS compared to BWE alone. Abundances in preserved samples were higher than observed in fresh (unpreserved) samples at the time of collection, with all samples managed by a BWMS meeting international limits for the number of viable organisms ≥10 and <50 μm in minimum dimension (based on six 1-mL live counts). While there was no apparent influence of factors such as treatment type [e.g., ultraviolet (UV) or chlorine], presence of filtration, ballast water salinity, ballast water age, nor location of last ballast water uptake on phytoplankton abundances in preserved samples, power to detect differences may be limited by sample size. Ballast water managed by BWMS also tended to have lower abundances of harmful phytoplankton species, although the difference was not statistically significant – additional research into the community composition of live cells in fresh samples could be valuable to discriminate the risk associated with phytoplankton surviving ballast water treatment.

Experimental Study on Treatment of Ballast Water by Inert Flue Gas Deoxidation

In this paper, the antimicrobial effect of inert flue gas on indicator microorganisms in ballast water was investigated based on a 265h test. The inert flue gas consists of nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) the microorganisms include Chlorella and Escherichia coli. Within the scope of the test, the killing effect of the microbes treated by combining N2 and CO2 was higher than that of using only either N2 or CO2. When the dissolved oxygen concentration in the ballast water was 0.5 mg/L and the pH value was 6, the killing effect was the highest. At this time, the mortality rate of Chlorella sp. and E. coli reached 99.99%, and 99.98%, respectively. After the experiment, property of the ballast water treated by N2 and CO2 were analyzed. The dissolved organic carbon concentration was lower than the recommended minimum concentration of 5 mg/L. The concentration of particulate organic carbon was higher than the standard value of 0.3%.The experiment proposes a new method for ballast water treatment of large ocean-going vessels in the future.

Research and development of ship ballast water treatment system

If the ballast water is discharged without treatment, it will cause serious ecological damage to the local port. This paper takes the ship ballast water treatment system as the research object. The existing ballast water treatment system is investigated. A ship ballast water treatment system with capacity of 150m3 /h, filtration accuracy of 40um and UV dose of 350mJ/cm2 is designed. This paper introduces the working principle of the main unit of ship ballast water treatment system, and designs an automatic monitoring system based on PLC and LabVIEW. The results show that the device has high practicability and feasibility.

Evaluation of three photosynthetic species smaller than ten microns as possible standard test organisms of ultraviolet-based ballast water treatment

The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) establishes limits for viable organisms in discharged ballast water. However, organisms smaller than 10 μm are not considered in this regulation although they represent, in some regions, the majority of the phytoplankton organisms in marine water. The objective in this study is to assess three photosynthetic species smaller than 10 μm as potential standard test organism (STO) in experimentation focused on the inactivating efficacy of ultraviolet treatments (UV). A growth modelling method was employed to determine the reduction of the viable cell concentration under either light or dark post-treatment conditions to evaluate the importance of the photoreactivation. In spite of its moderate growth rate, the high UV resistance in combination with the abundance and worldwide distribution of Synechococcus sp. and the environmental importance of this species constitute important reasons for considering Synechococcus sp. as a valuable STO for ballast water treatment.

EVOS and the Prince William Sound Long Term Environmental Monitoring Program

ABSTRACT Following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS), the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council began the Long-Term Environmental Monitoring Program (LTEMP) in 1993 to track oil hydrocarbon chemistry of recovering sediments and mussel tissues along the path of the spill in Prince William Sound (PWS) and across the Northern Gulf of Alaska (NGOA) region. The program also samples sites near the Alyeska Marine Terminal (AMT) within Port Valdez, primarily to monitor tanker operations and the resulting treatment and discharge of oil-contaminated tanker ballast water. Over the last 28 years, the program has documented EVOS oil's disappearance at the spill-impacted sites (albeit buried oil still exists at a few unique sheltered locations in PWS). Within the Port, a few tanker- and diesel-spill incidents have been documented over the years, but all were minor and with recovery times of < 1 yr. Of highest concern has been the permitted chronic release of weathered oil from tankers' ballast-water that is treated and discharged at the Alyeska Marine Terminal (AMT). In earlier years (1980s–90s), with discharge volumes reaching 17–18 MGD, up to a barrel of finely dispersed weathered oil would be released into the fjord daily. Over the last two decades, total petrogenic inputs (TPAH43) into the Port have declined as measured in the monitored mussels and sediments. This trend reflects a combination of decreased Alaska North Slope (ANS) oil production and thus, less tanker traffic, plus less ballast from the transition to double-hulled tankers with segregated ballast tanks, and improved treatment-facility efficiency in removing PAH. From the 2018 collections, mussel-tissue hydrocarbon concentrations from all eleven LTEMP stations (within Port Valdez as well as PWS and NGOA regions) were below method detection limits and similar to laboratory blanks (TPAH43 < 44 ng/g dry wt.). At these low background levels, elevated TPAH values from a minor 2020 spill incident at the Terminal were easily detected at all three Port Valdez stations.

Innovative System for Controlling the Treatment and Disinfection of Sea Ballast Water: Danube Institute of National University “Odessa Maritime Academy”

This study is devoted to the threat to marine ecological safety associated with the presence of invasive alien species (IAS) in the World Ocean, which is among the global problems in today’s world. A number of port cities of Ukraine, such as Odessa, Izmail, Kherson, and Mykolaiv, significantly contribute to the pollution of the sea water areas with IAS. Invasive alien species that are present in sea water are supplied together with the latter into ballast tanks (to maintain balance, list, and stability of ships) and end up in the sea even after passing through the ballast cleaning system, thereby securing themselves in certain water areas and ceasing to play the sanitary role; on the contrary, they become pests, i.e., a threat to the World Ocean. There are also IAS examples depending on the countries of the World, i.e., their location. An analytical review of the ballast water management systems most famous all over the world is given, the prospects of their application for disinfection and purification of ballast water and their comparative characteristics are provided. On the basis of strict ballast water quality standard D-2 of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), scientists from the Danube institute of National University “Odessa Maritime Academy” (Izmail, Ukraine) have proposed and developed experimental innovative equipment for purification and disinfection of water ballast. Ballast water is analyzed on sea vessels entering the Izmail shipyard “Odessa Maritime Academy” for factory repair from various water basins of the World Ocean. All ships entering the factory for repairing are suppliers of ballast water samples. The constructive features of the laboratory facility allow one to study ballast water when the corresponding modules of the system pass at various speeds.