Hazardous And Noxious Substances Spills Research Articles

Environmental risk assessment of accidental marine spills: A new approach combining an online dynamic Hazardous and Noxious substances database with numerical dispersion, risk and population modelling.

The foreseen rise on maritime transportation of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) increases the likelihood of accidents, leading to a higher risk of chemical spillage that can have severe ecological impacts. Considering the lack of information on HNS spills, the response to these events is less well established than those involving oil. Moreover, a paramount knowledge of the physicochemical and ecotoxicological properties of the substance involved is required for an effective environmental risk assessment and response to an HNS spill. In the present work, a new online interface, in which a dynamic HNS database feeds a chemical numerical dispersion model, was developed with the aim to improve predictions regarding the behaviour and environmental risk of HNS spills on marine ecosystems. Potential impacts to pelagic organisms were characterized by coupling model outputs with toxicity risk ratios. Furthermore, a simple population model was developed, foreseeing impacts at the ecological level. The integration of the developed tools establishes an innovative framework, which aims to improve predictions related to HNS plumes' behaviour and potential hazards to the marine environment and associated ecosystem services. Further, this new approach fosters an improved preparedness and response to coastal pollution incidents, enhancing effective decision making and management by competent authorities.

Single spectral imagery and faster R-CNN to identify hazardous and noxious substances spills

The automatic identification (location, segmentation, and classification) by UAV- based optical imaging of spills of transparent floating Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) benefits the on-site response to spill incidents, but it is also challenging. With a focus on the on-site optical imaging of HNS, this study explores the potential of single spectral imaging for HNS identification using the Faster R-CNN architecture. Images at 365 nm (narrow UV band), blue channel images (visible broadband of ∼400–600 nm), and RGB images of typical HNS (benzene, xylene, and palm oil) in different scenarios were studied with and without Faster R-CNN. Faster R-CNN was applied to locate and classify the HNS spills. The segmentation using Faster R-CNN-based methods and the original masking methods, including Otsu, Max entropy, and the local fuzzy thresholding method (LFTM), were investigated to explore the optimal wavelength and corresponding image processing method for the optical imaging of HNS. We also compared the classification and segmentation results of this study with our previously published studies on multispectral and whole spectral images. The results demonstrated that single spectral UV imaging at 365 nm combined with Faster R-CNN has great potential for the automatic identification of transparent HNS floating on the surface of the water. RGB images and images using Faster R-CNN in the blue channel are capable of HNS segmentation.

Development of a Metamodel for Predicting Near-Field Propagation of Hazardous and Noxious Substances Spilled From a Ship

This study aims to numerically analyze the near-field propagation behavior of hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) and to develop a new metamodel for HNS propagation. Extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted using the ANSYS FLUENT (V. 17.2) code for various HNS spill scenarios. We newly introduced several key parameters, including the streamwise propagation velocity, transverse propagation velocity, and averaged HNS mass fraction. From the results, the advection effect is more dominant with an increase in the current velocity and streamwise propagation velocity, and with a decrease in the transverse propagation velocity. Also, the HNS mass fraction decreases as the current velocity increases with the change of concentration and propagation area. Particularly, a new metamodel of HNS propagation based on the current CFD results was validated by the hidden point test, showing very good fit. We believe this model would make useful predictions under various scenarios without CFD simulations.

Cooperative response to marine hazardous and noxious substances and oil spill incidents in the ASEAN region

ABSTRACTMarine hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) and oil spills cause serious environmental pollution problem in the ASEAN region because it is prevalent in the Southeast Asia Sea and has a wide range of impacts and long-term consequences on the marine ecosystem, coastal resources, human health and socio economy. Transboundary HNS and oil pollution risk require a commensurate response capability. Therefore, building practical response capability in the ASEAN region according to an international framework appears to be necessary. This article examines historical pollution incidents in the ASEAN region caused by HNS and oil spill incidents and documents to a milestone in cooperation response to HNS and oil spills in the region, and proposes some recommendations of how to strengthen cooperation.

Initial environmental risk assessment of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) spill accidents to mitigate its damages

In this study, a system was established to perform an initial environmental risk assessment of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) spill accidents. Initial environmental risk assessment was performed using exposure and hazard assessments. An integrated hydrodynamic and chemical fate model was used to predict HNS concentrations at harbors, taking into account local environmental conditions. To consider the worst case HNS spill accident, the spill amount of 10,000 tonnages, was used for this study. The results show that highly soluble HNS are fatal to marine organisms during the neap tide. The results were based on a hypothetical worst case HNS spill accident and, not any specific actual HNS spill accident. Nevertheless, the method and system developed in this study, which includes the physical/chemical properties of 158 priority HNS, can be readily used to perform an initial environmental risk assessment for future HNS spill accidents.

Evaluating the toxic effects of three priority hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) to rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

Hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) spill in the marine environment is an issue of growing concern, and it will mostly continue to do so in the future owing to the increase of high chemical traffic. Nevertheless, the effects of HNS spill on marine environment, especially on aquatic organisms are unclear. Consequently, it is emergent to provide valuable information for the toxicities to marine biota caused by HNS spill. Accordingly, the acute toxicity of three preferential HNS and sub-lethal effects of acrylonitrile on Brachionus plicatilis were evaluated. The median lethal concentration (LC50) at 24h were 47.2mg acrylonitrileL-1, 276.9mg styreneL-1, and 488.3mg p-xyleneL-1, respectively. Sub-lethal toxicity effects of acrylonitrile on feeding behavior, development, and reproduction parameters of B. plicatilis were also evaluated. Results demonstrated that rates of filtration and ingestion were significantly reduced at 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0mgL-1 of acrylonitrile. Additionally, reproductive period, fecundity, and life span were significantly decreased at high acrylonitrile concentrations. Conversely, juvenile period was significantly increased at the highest two doses and no effects were observed on embryonic development and post-reproductive period. Meanwhile, we found that ingestion rate decline could be a good predictor of reproduction toxicity in B. plicatilis and ecologically relevant endpoint for toxicity assessment. These data will be useful to assess and deal with marine HNS spillages.

Assessing spill risks and impact from Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS): Are standard toxicity data enough?

ABSTRACT 2017-262 Over recent decades there has been an increase in the shipping of chemicals at sea with a subsequent increase in the risk of incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS). Typically, during HNS spills and during scenario planning the impact upon marine organisms is estimated using spill model predictions of time-weighted average (TWA) or peak concentration compared to a predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) derived from laboratory based constant exposure toxicity studies. This paper evaluates two marine transported chemicals, aniline and benzalkonium chloride, and compares their toxicity during standard (constant) and brief (spill-profiled) exposures. Toxicity was evaluated for the copepod Tisbe battagliai, the red algae Ceramium tenuicorne and the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and aniline exhibited toxicity in similar concentration range with EC50s typically 1–2 mg l−1 range during constant exposures. When brief or spill-profiled exposures were considered, contrasting effects for the two test chemicals were shown across the range of test species. Exposure to BAC resulted in significant effects to T. battagliai (the most sensitive species to this chemical) after 1-hour exposure to a concentration of 5 mg l−1 but for aniline recovery of the test organisms still occurred in exposures of a few hours at concentrations up to 300 mg l−1. Thus, a spill of a chemical with a specific mode of toxicity results in greater effects following relatively brief exposures, and exposed organisms show little or no recovery. In such cases impacts might be expected to be more extensive and persistent. In conclusion, for chemicals with specific modes of toxic action brief exposures, and possibly limited spill profile studies may be useful to support chemical spill risk assessment. Considerations of concentration exposure profiles during spills may also be relevant to take account of when considering oil spill impact plans and predictions.

Fate, behaviour and weathering of priority HNS in the marine environment: An online tool

Literature data and data obtained with modelling tools were compiled to derive the physicochemical behaviour of 24 priority Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), as a proxy to improve environmental, public health and political issues in relation to HNS spills. Parameters that rule the HNS behaviour in water and those that determine their distribution and persistence in the environment, such as fugacity, physicochemical degradation, biodegradation, bioaccumulation/biotransformation and aquatic toxicity, were selected. Data systematized and produced in the frame of the Arcopol Platform project was made available through a public database (http://www.ciimar.up.pt/hns/substances.php). This tool is expected to assist stakeholders involved in HNS spills preparedness and response, policy makers and legislators, as well as to contribute to a current picture of the scientific knowledge on the fate, behaviour, weathering and toxicity of priority HNS, being essential to support future improvements in maritime safety and coastal pollution response before, during and after spill incidents.

Comparison of Response Systems and Education Courses against HNS Spill Incidents between Land and Sea in Korea

As the type of Hazardous and Noxious Substances(HNS) becomes various and the transport volume of HNS increases, HNS spill incidents occur frequently on land and the sea. In view of various damages to human lives and properties by HNS spills, it is necessary to educate and train professional personnel in preparation for and response to potential HNS spills. This study shows the current state of response systems and education courses against HNS spill incidents on land and the sea to compare those with each other between land and sea in Korea. Incident command system on land are basically similar to that at sea, but leading authority which is responsible for combating HNS spills at sea is changeable depending on the location of HNS spill, as it were, Korea Coast Guard(KCG) is responsible for urgent response to HNS spill at sea, while municipalities are responsible for the response to HNS drifted ashore. Education courses for HNS responders on land are established at National Fire Service Academy(NFSA), National Institute of Chemical Safety(NICS), etc., and are diverse. Education and training courses for HNS responder at sea are established at Korea Coast Guard Academy(KCGA) and Marine Environment Research & Training Institute(MERTI), and are comparatively simple. Education courses for dangerous cargo handlers who work in port where land is linked to the sea are established at Korea Maritime Dangerous Goods Inspection & Research Institute(KOMDI), Korea Port Training Institute(KPTI) and Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology(KIMFT). Through the comparison of education courses for HNS responders between land and sea, some recommendations such as extension of education targets, division of an existing integrated HNS course into two courses composed of operational level and manager level with respective refresh course, on-line cyber course and joint inter-educational institute course in cooperation with other relevant institutes are proposed for the improvement in education courses of KCG and KOEM(Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation) to educate and train professionals for combating HNS spills at sea in Korea.

A Study on Prioritization of HNS Management in Korean Waters

The types of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) being transported by sea in Korea are at about 6,000, HNS transport volume accounts for 19% of total tonnage shipped in Korea, and the increase rate of seaborne HNS trade in Korea is 2.5 times higher than the average increase rate of the world seaborne HNS trade. Reflecting this trend, HNS spill incidents have been frequently reported in Korean waters, and there are increasing social demands to develop HNS management technology for the preparedness, response, post-treatment and restoration in relation to HNS spill incidents at sea. In this study, a risk-based HNS prioritization system was developed and an HNS risk database was built with evaluation indices such as sea transport volume, physicochemical properties, toxicities, persistency, and bioaccumulation. Risk scores for human health and marine environments were calculated by multiplying scores for toxicity and exposure. The top-20 substances in the list of HNS were tabulated, and Aniline was ranked first place, but it needs to be managed not by individuals but by HNS groups with similar score levels. Limitations were identified in obtaining data of chronic toxicity and marine ecotoxicity due to lack of testing data. It is necessary to study on marine ecotoxicological test in the near future. Moreover, the priority list of HNS is expected to be utilized in the development of HNS management technology and the relevant technologies, after the expert's review process and making up for the lack of test data in the current research results.

Toxicity Effects of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) to Marine Organisms: Acute and Chronic Toxicity of p-Xylene to the Amphipod Gammarus locusta

Despite the recent focus on hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) spills preparedness and responses, much remains to be done regarding the threat posed by HNS spills on marine biota. Among the identified priority HNS, p-xylene was selected to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the amphipod Gammarus locusta under acute and chronic exposure to p-xylene simulating conditions of a spill incident. In the acute exposure (96 h) the p-xylene LC50 was estimated. In the chronic bioassay (36 d), an integration of organism-level endpoints (survival, growth rate, and sex ratio) with biochemical markers indicative of oxidative stress including catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels was determined. The aim was to increase the xylene ecotoxicological database and better predict its impact in aquatic environments. p-Xylene induced several chronic toxicity effects in G. locusta. Significant alterations in antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation levels as well as growth rate and biased sex-ratio were observed. p-Xylene significantly affected the activities of CAT, SOD, and GST in G. locusta and produced oxidative damage by increasing levels of LPO in males. Further, impacts in key ecological endpoints, that is, growth and sex ratio, were noted that might be indicative of potential effects at the population level in a spill scenario. The present data may be useful to assist relevant bodies in preparedness and response to HNS spills.

Simulation of a Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) spill in the marine environment: Lethal and sublethal effects of acrylonitrile to the European seabass

Despite the extensive maritime transportation of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), there is a current lack of knowledge on the effects posed by HNS spills on the marine biota. Among the HNS identified as priority, acrylonitrile was selected to conduct ecotoxicological assays. We assessed the acute and subletal effects of acrylonitrile in seabass, followed by a recovery phase to simulate the conditions of a spill incident. The work aimed at testing a broad range of biological responses induced by acrylonitrile. Sublethal exposure to the highest two doses increased the fish mortality rate (8.3% and 25% mortality in 0.75 and 2mgL−1 acrylonitrile concentrations), whereas no mortality were observed in control and 0.15mgL−1 treatments. Additionally, important alterations at sub-individual level were observed. Acrylonitrile significantly induced the activities of Catalase– CAT and Glutathione S-Transferase – GST; and the levels of DNA damage were significantly increased. Conversely, Superoxide Dismutase– SOD – activity was found to be significantly inhibited and no effects were found on Lipid Peroxidation– LPO and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase – EROD – activity. Following a 7d recovery period, the levels of CAT, GST and EROD fell to levels at or below those in the control. In the 2mgL−1 group, SOD remained at the levels found during exposure phase. This study has gathered essential information on the acute and subletal toxicity of acrylonitrile to seabass. It also demonstrated that 7d recovery allowed a return of most endpoints to background levels. These data will be useful to assist relevant bodies in preparedness and response to HNS spills.

Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) in the marine environment: Prioritizing HNS that pose major risk in a European context

Increases in the maritime transportation of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), alongside the need for an effective response to HNS spills have led environmental managers and the scientific community to focus attention on HNS spill preparedness and responsiveness. In the context of the ARCOPOL project, a weight-of-evidence approach was developed aimed at prioritizing HNS that pose major environmental risks to European waters. This approach takes into consideration the occurrence probability of HNS spills in European Atlantic waters and the severity of exposure associated with their physico-chemical properties and toxicity to marine organisms. Additionally, a screening analysis of the toxicological information available for the prioritization of HNS was performed. Here we discuss the need for a prioritization methodology to select HNS that are likely to cause severe marine environmental effects as an essential step towards the establishment of a more effective preparedness and response to HNS incidents.