Finasol OSR Research Articles

Biomarker responses in mussels (Mytilus trossulus) from the Baltic Sea exposed to water-accommodated fraction of crude oil and a dispersant at different salinities

Oil spills pose significant environmental risks, particularly in cold seas. In the Baltic Sea, the low salinity (from 0 to 2 up to 18) affects the behaviour of the spilled oil as well as the efficiency and ecological impacts of oil spill response methods such as mechanical collection and the use of dispersants. In the present study, mussels (Mytilus trossulus) were exposed under winter conditions (5 °C) to the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Naphthenic North Atlantic crude oil prepared by mechanical dispersion or to the chemically enhanced fraction (CEWAF) obtained using the dispersant Finasol OSR 51 at salinities of 5.6 and 15.0. Especially at the lower salinity, high bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was recorded in mussels in the CEWAF treatments, accompanied by increased biomarker responses. In the WAF treatments these impacts were less evident. Thus, the use of dispersants in the Baltic Sea still needs to be carefully considered.

The effect of chemical dispersant of the third generation (Finasol OSR 62) on the microbial biodegradation process of Zarzaitine oil in water treatment

The application of chemical dispersants aims to stimulate microbial oil degradation by increasing the bioavailability of oil compounds. Overall, nine microcosms were prepared (three for each treatment) using treated sediment with (i) dispersant (d: 25 ppm), (ii) oil (500 ppm), and (iii) with oil + dispersant (500: 25 ppm), respectively. There are also three control microcosms containing only water and sediment without petroleum. Then, we analyzed bacterial abundance, total hydrocarbon, biological oxygen demand (BOD5), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in each microcosm. Bacterial response density was significantly affected after 40 days of exposure; it was higher in the control microcosm and d (> 24.103 cell/l) than in the other treatments. The index of total hydrocarbons was equal to 53 mg/kg dw in oil and 56 mg/kg dw in oil + dispersant. The higher BOD5 found in oil and in oil + d shows the increased amount of oxygen consumed, which indicates enhanced bacterial activity. Microcosms treated with dispersant had higher COD than the others, but the dispersant did not stimulate microbial hydrocarbon degradation.

The effect of water salinity on the effectiveness of oil dispersants

A comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of the industrially produced oil spill dispersants (Finasol OSR 52 (France), Slickgone NS and Slickgone EW (United Kingdom)) was carried out. The effectiveness of dispersants was assessed using three samples of domestic crude oil with different physical and chemical properties (extra light, heavy, and bituminous oil) in water samples of various salinity. An adapted version of ASTM F2059–17 «Standard Test Method for Laboratory Oil Spill Dispersant Effectiveness Using the Swirling Flask» (the so-called SFT test) was used for evaluation. The low-energy technique was chosen to determine conditionally lower limits of the dispersant effectiveness. Comparative tests were carried out at the highest dispersant-to-oil ratio 1:10 allowed in the Russian Federation (according to STO 318.4.02–2005 «Rules of dispersant application for oil spill response»), water temperature 20°C and water salinity 0, 5, 10, 20, and 35‰. It is shown that the dispersants are poorly effective in dispersing the considered oil samples at water salinity 35‰. A general trend of increasing the dispersant effectiveness with a decrease in water salinity is demonstrated. It is shown that all tested dispersants are not suitable for application in the studied range of water salinity in the event of spill of the bituminous oil with a high content of asphaltenes and polar compounds. For all dispersants, the limits of their application are determined depending on the salinity of water. The effectiveness value equal to 45 % legally approved in the USA and Mexico was taken as a threshold value. The revealed lack of the dispersant versality necessitates preliminary experimental testing using a sample of spilled oil under climatic and hydrochemical conditions corresponding to the potential area of their application.

Effect of water salt composition on oil spill dispersant efficiency determined in laboratory conditions

The effect of the salt composition of water (model aqueous solutions of NaCl and artificial sea salt Instant Ocean, as well as water from the Pechora Sea) on the effectiveness of oil spill dispersants determined in laboratory conditions is studied. The efficiency of dispersants (Finasol OSR 52, Slickgone NS and Slickgone EW) was evaluated three samples of crude oil produced in the Russian Federation. Those oil samples of different composition and properties were used at fixed values of the dispersant-oil ratio (1:10), water temperature (20 ± 2°C) and salinity (35 ± 2%). It is shown that the effectiveness of the oil spill disper­sant depends on the nature (composition) of water in which the oil is dispersed, other things being the same. An anomalous behavior of one of the oil samples was found when it was dispersed in an aqueous so­ lution of NaCl under the action of Finasol OSR 52 and Slickgone EW Good convergence of the numerical values of the efficiency of dispersants was obtained when testing them in an aqueous solution of artificial sea salt Instant Ocean and in the water of the Pechora Sea. It is noted that to assess the effectiveness of dispersants in laboratory conditions, it is advisable to use water of the natural object in which this disper­sant is planned to be used. Moreover, the possibility of using an aqueous solution of the artificial salt when its salt composition is similar to that for real sea water was noted.

Multilevel responses of adult zebrafish to crude and chemically dispersed oil exposure

BackgroundThe application of chemical dispersants is a common remediation strategy when accidental oil spills occur in aquatic environments. Breaking down the oil slick into small droplets, dispersants facilitate the increase of particulate and dissolved oil compounds, enhancing the bioavailability of toxic oil constituents. The aim of the present work was to explore the effects of water accommodated fractions (WAF) of a naphthenic North Sea crude oil produced with and without the addition of the chemical dispersant FINASOL OSR 52 to adult zebrafish exposed for 3 and 21 d. Fish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 5% and 25% WAFOIL (1:200) and to 5% WAFOIL+D (dispersant–oil ratio 1:10) in a semi-static exposure setup.ResultsThe chemically dispersed WAF presented a 20-fold increase of target polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water phase compared to the corresponding treatment without dispersant and was the only treatment resulting in markedly bioaccumulation of PAHs in carcass after 21 d compared to the control. Furthermore, only 5% WAFOIL+D caused fish mortality. In general, the undispersed oil treatments did not lead to significant effects compared to control, while the dispersed oil induced significant alterations at gene transcription and enzyme activity levels. Significant up-regulation of biotransformation and oxidative stress response genes (cyp1a, gstp1, sod1 and gpx1a) was recorded in the livers. For the same group, a significant increment in EROD activity was detected in liver along with significant increased GST and CAT activities in gills. The addition of the chemical dispersant also reduced brain AChE activity and showed a potential genotoxic effect as indicated by the increased frequency of micronuclei in erythrocytes after 21 d of exposure.ConclusionsThe results demonstrate that the addition of chemical dispersants accentuates the effect of toxic compounds present in oil as it increases PAH bioavailability resulting in diverse alterations on different levels of biological organization in zebrafish. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance to combine multilevel endpoints for a reliable risk assessment due to high variable biomarker responses. The present results of dispersant impact on oil toxicity can support decision making for oil spill response strategies.

Effects of Dispersants and Biosurfactants on Crude-Oil Biodegradation and Bacterial Community Succession.

This study evaluated the effects of three commercial dispersants (Finasol OSR 52, Slickgone NS, Superdispersant 25) and three biosurfactants (rhamnolipid, trehalolipid, sophorolipid) in crude-oil seawater microcosms. We analysed the crucial early bacterial response (1 and 3 days). In contrast, most analyses miss this key period and instead focus on later time points after oil and dispersant addition. By focusing on the early stage, we show that dispersants and biosurfactants, which reduce the interfacial surface tension of oil and water, significantly increase the abundance of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, and the rate of hydrocarbon biodegradation, within 24 h. A succession of obligate hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (OHCB), driven by metabolite niche partitioning, is demonstrated. Importantly, this succession has revealed how the OHCB Oleispira, hitherto considered to be a psychrophile, can dominate in the early stages of oil-spill response (1 and 3 days), outcompeting all other OHCB, at the relatively high temperature of 16 °C. Additionally, we demonstrate how some dispersants or biosurfactants can select for specific bacterial genera, especially the biosurfactant rhamnolipid, which appears to provide an advantageous compatibility with Pseudomonas, a genus in which some species synthesize rhamnolipid in the presence of hydrocarbons.

Improved oil spill dispersant monitoring in seawater using dual tracers: Dioctyl and monoctyl sulfosuccinates sourced from corexit EC9500A

A high resolution mass spectrometry method was developed for the environmental impact monitoring of oil spill dispersants. Previously reported instability of dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) dispersant tracer was addressed by the new procedure. The method monitors both DOSS and its degradation product, monooctyl sulfosuccinate (MOSS), by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The related isomer, 4-(2-ethylhexyl) 2-sulfobutanedioate, was chromatographically resolved from MOSS but was not a product of DOSS degradation. Using this direct injection method (10 μL), the practical lower limit of quantitation was 0.5 nM for each analyte, a concentration equivalent to 0.22 ng mL−1, or 0.30 ng mL−1 including initial dilution factor with acetonitrile. The method was shown applicable to analysis of the dispersants Corexit® EC9500 A, Finasol OSR 52, Slickgone NS, and Slickgone EW for which DOSS is an active ingredient. A marine microcosm study of Corexit EC9500A, together with diluted bitumen (dilbit), at 15 ± 1 °C, provided evidence of the stoichiometric conversion of DOSS to MOSS under conditions reflecting a western Canadian marine environment. The advantage of the developed method is in its ability to extend environmental seawater sample collection time from 4 days for DOSS alone, to 14 days when both DOSS and MOSS are simultaneously analysed and results combined. The collection time is likely extended beyond the 14 day period with cooler temperatures. Preservation of collected seawater samples using sodium hydroxide, converting DOSS into MOSS in situ, was rejected due to stability issues. Addition of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid did not improve hold times, thus eliminating the theory of cation induced micelle effects causing DOSS loss.

Large Scale Comparative Testing of Corexit EC9500A, Finasol OSR 52, Accell Clean DWD, Marine D-Blue Clean, and ZI 400 at Ohmsett

Abstract 2017-064In October of 2015, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) conducted independent dispersant effectiveness testing to compare available formulations. Several products were tested at the Ohmsett facility. The study was conducted to better understand and compare the effectiveness of various dispersants under large scale test conditions. Five dispersants were selected from the EPA’s NCP Product Schedule and tested on a Gulf of Mexico crude oil: Corexit® EC9500A, Finasol® OSR 52, Accell® Clean DWD, Marine D-Blue Clean™ and ZI 400. To capture operational effectiveness, the dispersants were applied to a surface slick using Ohmsett’s spray bar, which simulated a boat spraying system. Data collected included droplet size distribution of the dispersed oil, measured at one and a half meters below the water’s surface and using two LISST-100x instruments from Sequoia Scientific. Dispersant Effectiveness (DE) was measured using the volume of the oil, which remained on the surface after the test as compared to the total volume dispensed onto the surface for the test. The performance of the products was quantified and compared to each other based on DE and the droplet size of dispersed oil. Overall, Finasol and Corexit demonstrated the best performance of the group of dispersants. Both dispersants were among the easiest to work with. Finasol and Corexit did not entrain any air while being pumped and maintained consistency throughout the tests. Accell, which demonstrated significant improvements when compared to the untreated oil, did exhibit operational difficulties during testing. Marine D and ZI 400 performed poorly relative to the other products tested.

Comparative Study to Determine the Biodegradability of Dispersants at Environmentally Relevant Concentrations

ABSTRACTChemical dispersant agents reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water, and increase the surface area to volume ratio of oil droplets thus facilitating the biodegradation of spilled oil. Dispersants are composed of surface active molecules known as surfactants and various commercial products contain Dioctyl Sulfosuccinate (DOSS) as the active surfactant ingredient. Since previous laboratory studies were conducted at oil and dispersant concentrations significantly higher (~0.7 g/L oil with Dispersant to Oil Ratio (DOR) of 1:25) than those typically found in field conditions, experiments were conducted at low levels of oil and dispersant (28 μg/L oil with DOR of 1:25) in order to determine the degradation trends at environmentally relevant concentrations. Experiments were conducted using two crude oils (Alaskan North Slope (ANS) and Endicott) and two dispersant products (Corexit 9500 and Finasol OSR 52) to study the biodegradation of dispersants and dispersed oil and oil alone samples were used as controls. Two oil degrading cultures, isolated from the surface (meso) and deep sea (cryo) of the Gulf of Mexico, were enriched on crude oil at 25 and 5 °C and were used as the inocula. The biodegradation experiments were performed at 5 °C for 56 days and at 25 °C for 48 days using sterile GP2 artificial seawater as the media. The time series concentration of DOSS, the primary surfactant in the dispersants was monitored using LC-MS/MS in addition to the oil concentration which was measured using GC-MS/MS. Although the initial concentration of DOSS in Finasol OSR 52 was 20% higher than in Corexit 9500, over 95% of the anionic surfactant fraction was metabolized for both types of dispersant products by the end of the experiment at 25 °C while it persisted at 5 °C. The effect of dispersant and oil type on microbial community structure was also analyzed using PCR analysis. Results indicated that the abundance of Thalassospira correlated well with hydrocarbon degradation trends. The results from this study significantly expands on our understanding of biodegradation of DOSS, dispersed, and non-dispersed oil and also provides information regarding bacterial community composition.

Acute toxicity of chemically and mechanically dispersed crude oil to juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Absence of synergistic effects between oil and dispersants.

The goal of the present experiment was to assess the relative acute toxicities of mechanically and chemically dispersed oil (crude Arabian Light) in controlled conditions. Juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were exposed to 4 commercial formulations of dispersants (Corexit EC9500A, Dasic Slickgone NS, Finasol OSR 52, Inipol IP 90), to mechanically dispersed oil, and to the corresponding chemical dispersions. Acute toxicity was evaluated at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h through the determination of 10%, 50%, and 90% lethal concentrations calculated from measured total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations; Kaplan-Meyer mortality analyses were based on nominal concentrations. Animals were exposed to the dissolved fraction of the oil and to the oil droplets (ranging from 14.0 μm to 42.3 μm for the chemical dispersions). Kaplan-Meyer analyses demonstrated an increased mortality in the case of chemical dispersions. This difference can be attributed mainly to differences in TPH, because the chemical lethal concentrations were not reduced compared with mechanical lethal concentrations (except after 24 h of exposure). The ratios of lethal concentrations of mechanical dispersions to the different chemical dispersions were calculated to allow direct comparisons of the relative toxicities of the dispersions. The results ranged from 0.27 to 3.59, with a mean ratio close to 1 (0.92). These results demonstrate an absence of synergistic effect between oil and chemical dispersants in an operational context.

Toxicity of spill-treating agents and oil to sea urchin embryos

The aim of this study was to assess the joint toxicity of a Maya crude oil and four spill-treating agents (STAs) (CytoSol, Finasol OSR51, Agma OSD569 and OD4000). The acute toxicity of the binary mixtures of the water accommodated fractions (WAFs) obtained independently for the oil and each STA was assessed. The toxicity of the chemically enhanced WAF (CEWAF) of oil and Finasol OSR51 at several dispersant to oil ratios (1:2, 1:10 and 1:100) was also evaluated. The toxicity (EC50) obtained for the WAFs of the STAs was: CytoSol (15.1mL/L)<Agma OSD 569 (9.8mL/L)<OD4000 (2.6mL/L)<and Finasol OSR 51 (1.8mL/L). An accurate description of the toxicity of binary mixtures was obtained by the following models: Concentration Addition (Agma OSD569 and CytoSol), Independent Action (Finasol OSR51) and extended Concentration Addition model to describe antagonistic effects (OD4000). The CEWAFs showed an intermediate position between the more moderate effects of the WAF of oil and the higher toxicity of the WAFs of Finasol OSR51, which suggested the high sensitivity of the sea urchin embryo toward the dispersant.

Toxicity of four spill-treating agents on bacterial growth and sea urchin embryogenesis

The toxicity of spill-treating agents (STAs) is a topic that needs to be assessed prior to their potential application in environmental disasters. The aim of the present work was to study the effects of four commercial STAs (CytoSol, Finasol OSR 51, Agma OSD 569 and OD4000) on the growth of marine (Phaeobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp.) and terrestrial (Leuconostoc mesenteroides) bacteria, and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) embryolarval development. In general, STA did not inhibit significantly the biomass production of the tested marine bacteria. Finasol OSR 51 and OD4000 clearly inhibited the growth of L. mesenteroides and an accurate description of the kinetics was provided by a proposed bivariate equation. For this species, a global parameter (EC50,τ) was defined to summarize the set of growth kinetics. Using this parameter Finasol OSR 51 was found to be less toxic (754μLL−1) than OD4000 (129μLL−1). For the sea urchin embryo assay, the ranking of toxicity as EC50 (μLL−1) was Agma OSD 569 (34.0)<CytoSol (26.3)<OD4000 (2.2)<Finasol OSR 51 (1.2).

Wave Tank and Swirling Flask Dispersant Effectiveness Testing on Fresh Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil

Nine dispersants were tested at the high energy setting (Figure 2). Five dispersants that performed well at high energy were then tested at the low energy setting (Figure 3).Each test case was completed in triplicate. Four of the dispersants tested did not perform any better than the control tests (see Figure 2). Three dispersants (Corexit 9500a, Corexit 9527a and Finasol OSR 52) clearly performed better than all of the others. These dispersants generated smaller oil-drop sized dispersions in the form of classic cafe-au-lait clouds. The Dispersit SPC 1000 and JD-2000 dispersants also worked well at the high-energy setting but neither of these dispersants generated small drop sized cafe-au-lait clouds of dispersed oil. High Energy SL Ross Wave Tank Test Results

Biodegradation of hydrocarbon residuals by biological activators in the presence of INIPOL EAP 22

This paper reports on a study the degradation of a highly aged hydrocarbon mixture originating from an accidental spill in an oil refinery. The biological activator BIOLEN IG 30 has been used as degradation agent microorganism and INIPOL EAP 22 as biodegradation process accelerator. The kinetic coefficients have been deduced by adjusting the two straight lines from a plot of the degradation process using zero-order kinetics. An aged hydrocarbon mixture dispersion was studied and efficiency ratios calculated. Degradation of the FINASOL OSR 51 dispersant used to disperse the hydrocarbon mixture has been also studied yielding the degradation process constant, biological oxygen demand (BOD), biological final demand (BOD f), stabilization constant for the degradation process (k 1) and the biological stabilization constant (k).

FINASOL OSR 52 active components biodegradation by using the biological activator BIOLEN IG 30

This paper describes a study of the degradation of the ionic and anionic dispersants in the commercial product, FINASOL OSR 52. The biologic activator BIOLEN IG 30, composed of a mixture of bacteria specially selected for their capability to degrade a wide range of chemical compounds, was used as the degradation agent. The microorganisms were supplied with oligoelements and nutrients to facilite their development. The degradation process, kinetic coefficients have been determined at different conditions, ambient temperature and controlled at 20°C for both the degradation of ionic and anionic disperants.

Effect of oil and dispersants on the growth of Mussels

Mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) were exposed to North Sea crude oil, microencapsulated oil and dispersants, singly and in combination, and growth rates measured at 24–48 h intervals.Exposure to microencapsulated pure oil (2·0–2·1 mg litre−1) and to microencapsulated mixtures of oil (2·2−2·5 mg litre-1+5 % of the different dispersants (FINASOL OSR 5, COREXIT 9527, DISPOLENE 36 S) gave approximately the same reduction in growth rate (80–90%) within 170h.Oil chemically dispersed with DISPOLENE 36 S and a pure oil mechanically dispersed in water were significantly less toxic. In high concentrations (2 mg litre−1) all disperants are toxic, DISPOLENE 36 S ssignificantly more than the others.Mussels exposed for 170 h to microencapsulated oil and to microencapsulated oil dispersant mixtures recovered to control growth within 300 h in clean seawater, while in those given pure oil-in-water suspension, the recovery was slower.It is concluded that the toxicity of oil is mainly related to size and concentration of oil particles, while the effect of 5% dispersants added is negligible.

Effects of pre-exposure on the tolerance of Artemia salina to oil and oil dispersant

Higher tolerance (acclimation phenomena, adaptation) to oil (Tunisian crude oil) and oil dispersant (Finasol OSR 2, Finasol OSR 5), can be induced in Artemia salina after pre-exposure to these toxicants. The higher tolerance includes acute toxicity (LC 50) and sublethal physiological dysfunctions (respiration). High pre-exposure concentrations lead to rapid induction of acclimation phenomena but the higher resistance is partly lost after exposure of the acclimated animals to clean sea water. Exposure to low concentrations of the toxicants induce a slow appearance of adaptation phenomena, but higher tolerance does not disappear after exposure to clean sea water and is strengthened after the detoxification period.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH DISPERSED OIL AND A DISPERSANT IN AN INTERTIDAL ECOSYSTEM: FATE AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

ABSTRACT Experiments with chemically and ultrasonically dispersed Arabian light crude oil and a dispersant (Finasol OSR 5) were carried out on an intertidal sand flat in the Wadden Sea (German Bight). “Bremerhaven Caissons,” flow through mesocosms for intertidal field experiments, allowed pollutant addition to the enclosed water during submersion time. Reiterated contaminations over a period of 12 successive tides of low concentrations of oil (10 ppm) and dispersant made it possible to study penetration and alteration processes of the dispersed oil in the sediment. Sublethal and lethal effects upon micro-phytobenthos, meiofauna, and macrofauna were observed. Oil reduced the activity of microbenthic algae and the food uptake of filter feeding bivalves and a polychaete. Nematodes showed a lower diversity and decreasing abundances in some groups. No major differences between the effects of chemically and ultrasonically dispersed oil on the benthos were observed. Application of dispersant alone had no clear effects when compared with controls.