Marine Oil Spill Research Articles

Facile fabrication of green and sustainable gelatin-based aerogels for marine oil spill recovery

Efficient and rapid cleanup of marine oil spills is crucial for environmental protection and resource recovery. Biomass aerogel has a broad application prospect in oil spill treatment, but is often limited by the complex preparation process and the use of toxic cross-linking agents. In this study, the hydrophobic gelatin-based aerogels (HGAs) were simply prepared for marine oil spill recovery based on self-crosslinking of gelatin, bubbles produced by surfactants and high-speed stirring, and chemical vapor deposition using methyl trichlorosilane (MTCS). The results showed that the HGAs exhibited a three-dimensional porous structure with a water contact angle of 131.6°. Their adsorption capacities for various oils and organic solvents ranged from 60.4 to 146.5 g/g, which was linearly related to the oil density and depended on the number of pores within the material. The oil adsorption by the HGAs reached equilibrium within 30 s, following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the HGAs were highly stable in different temperature, pH, and salinity conditions. Simple squeezing can recover 80 % of the spilled oil, and retain 86 % of the initial adsorption capacity after 10 adsorption-squeeze cycles. Additionally, the HGAs had an excellent continuous oil-water separation performance, demonstrating significant potential and practicability in marine oil spill recovery.

Graphene aerogel with double pore structure for marine oil spill emergency response

Due to its high porosity, large specific surface area, and strong photothermal conversion performance, graphene aerogel has unique advantages in the field of pollution treatment, especially in the field of recovering highly viscous oils. However, for the treatment of highly viscous oils, the high adsorption capacity and high adsorption rate of graphene aerogel often cannot be combined, which is one of the important reasons limiting its development in this field. A double-step templating strategy for graphene aerogels preparation was used in this work, i.e., Pickering emulsion soft templating and unidirectional freeze casting. Specifically, the dense Pickering emulsion droplets can be stabilized in a short period of time, so that they can be cured quickly. After that, graphene aerogels (DGA-0.8-25) with dual pore structure were prepared by unidirectional freeze casting technology to further form aligned pores based on the pores formed by the Pickering emulsion droplet soft template. The dense presence of Pickering emulsion droplets gives DGA-0.8-25 an ultra-high porosity (96.8 %), which can adsorb 184.53 times its own mass of crude oil. Due to the unidirectional pore structure, the adsorption rate of DGA-0.8-25 on crude oil is as high as 8.39 g·g−1·min−1, which realizes dual improvement of the adsorption capacity and rate of graphene aerogel on crude oil and shows a good application prospect in the treatment of high viscosity crude oil. In addition, DGA-0.8-25 has unique advantages in the field of oil–water separation, with a separation efficiency of 99.04 % for water-in-oil emulsions and 97.63 % for oil-in-water emulsions. When repeated used in photothermal adsorption of highly viscous oil, DGA-0.8-25 can still maintain more than 90.61 % of its initial adsorption capacity after ten cycles of use-regeneration. Because of its unique advantages such as high efficiency and low cost, DGA shows promising in its future large-scale use.

Robust mussel-inspired LBL carbon nanotube-based superhydrophobic polyurethane sponge for efficient oil–water separation utilizing photothermal effect

Superhydrophobic materials possessing efficient and rapid oil–water separation capabilities, as well as robustness, have emerged as the epicenter of global attention. Conventional three-dimensional adsorbent materials often succumb to impaired performance under extreme environmental conditions, rendering it arduous to ensure the efficacy of oil–water separation, and confining the application scenarios. In this study, polyurethane sponges (PUs) co-modified with stearic acid (SA), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), designated as SA-PDMS/MWCNTs@PU (SPMPU), were successfully synthesized via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly and liquid-phase deposition. The SPMPU sponge exhibits an overall separation efficiency of not less than 90 %. It boasts a stable adsorption capacity, formidable mechanical properties, and commendable reusability. SPMPU sponges maintain unparalleled stability in extreme environments, such as strong acids and alkalis, and in the photothermal effect experiment, the SPMPU sponge can attain a temperature of 101.5 °C within 2 min, with rapid reaction kinetics, high efficiency, and unwavering stability. Through the photothermal effect-assisted oil–water separation, a reliable solution is furnished for the current oil–water separation endeavors. The SPMPU sponge preparation is uncomplicated, economical, and yields stable performance, holding significant potential for application in marine oil spills and industrial oil–water separation scenarios.

The effects of high-precision scale dispersant concentrations on microbial community and new implications for dispersant application after marine oil spills

The usage of dispersant presents a difficult choice: the uncertainty of beneficial biodegradation of spilled oil against what could be a greater environmental impact from the finely dispersed oil. Here, we evaluated the effect of dispersant on the microbial community at a high-precision concentration (0.1–20 % (v/v), 10 gradients) to elucidate the uncertainty of beneficial biodegradation and proposed the associated mechanism. Results at the phylum, class, and genus level revealed no significant changes in microbial diversity and structure at low-concentration dispersants (0.1–3 %), but significant changes at high-concentration dispersants (5–20 %). For beneficial biodegradation, 4 oil-degrading bacteria and 3 non-oil-degrading bacteria exhibited strong positive (R2 > 0.72) and negative (R2 > 0.73) correlations at 0.1–3 % low-concentrations. More importantly, oil-degrading bacteria abundance exceeded 75.9 % in the total abundance proportion (70.1 %) of them. This indicated low-concentration dispersants can promote biodegradation. In the high-concentrations, similar but opposite results were shown. Therefore, dispersant concentration dominates biodegradation of spilled oil. Finally, we proposed the associated “bacterial peaking” mechanism and clarified that biodegradation increases under the drive of the affected bacteria and reach a peak at low-concentration dispersants, but decline rapidly at high-concentrations. This study provided a new insight to understand the usage of dispersant on biodegradation of spilled oil in the sea.

Hydrocarbon-degrading microbial populations in permanently cold deep-sea sediments in the NW Atlantic

Permanently cold deep-sea sediments (2500–3500 m water depth) with and without indications of thermogenic hydrocarbon seepage were exposed to naphtha to examine the presence and potential of cold-adapted aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microbial populations. Monitoring these microcosms for volatile hydrocarbons by GC–MS revealed sediments without in situ hydrocarbons responded more rapidly to naphtha amendment than hydrocarbon seep sediments overall, but seep sediments removed aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) more readily. Naphtha-driven aerobic respiration was more evident in surface sediment (0–20 cmbsf) than deeper anoxic layers (>130 cmbsf) that responded less rapidly. In all cases, enrichment of Gammaproteobacteria included lineages of Oleispira, Pseudomonas, and Alteromonas known to be associated with marine oil spills. On the other hand, taxa known to be prevalent in situ and diagnostic for thermogenic hydrocarbon seepage in deep sea sediment, did not respond to naphtha amendment. This suggests a limited role for these prevalent seep-associated populations in the context of aerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation.

Preparation and properties of sustainable superhydrophobic cotton fabrics modified with lignin nanoparticles, tannic acid and methyltrimethoxysilane

Functional superhydrophobic cotton fabrics find extensive applications in both textile and non-textile domains. Nonetheless, fabric treatment typically relies on fluorine-containing compounds, inorganic nanoparticles and potentially hazardous organic solvents, posing environmental risks during fabrication and disposal. To address this issue, endeavours are underway to develop environmentally sustainable and cost-effective methods and materials for imparting superhydrophobic properties to cotton fabric surfaces. Here, we prepared lignin nanoparticles (LNP) utilising deep eutectic solvents and facilitated their surface adhesion to cotton fabrics through the self-polymerisation of tannic acid (TA) under alkaline conditions for the construction of micro-/nanostructures on the fabric surface. Subsequently, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) was employed to confer superhydrophobic properties to the fabrics using a combination of thermal chemical vapour deposition techniques, resulting in a contact angle of approximately 164.3° and a sliding angle of 8.52°. Owing to the combined effect of TA and LNP, the modified fabrics exhibited excellent ultraviolet (UV) shielding ability (UV transmittance < 1 %, UV protection factor = 50 + ) and photothermal conversion (54.2 °C in 150 s). In short, micro-/nanostructures with surface hydrophilicity were constructed on the surface of cotton fabrics using two hydrophilic biomaterials, i.e. TA, which is similar to polydopamine but lighter in colour and less expensive, and LNP as sustainable colloidal particles. Subsequently, their surface roughness was further enhanced, and superhydrophobic properties were imparted through modification with the low surface energy substance MTMS. This method not only promotes the high-value utilisation of lignin but also serves as a reference for constructing superhydrophobic structures using biomass hydrophilic materials on cellulose substrates. The prepared superhydrophobic fabric suggests potential applications in water and stain repellence, self-cleaning, outdoor UV protection and the management of marine oil spill pollution.

Mapping of oil spills in China Seas using optical satellite data and deep learning

Oils spilled into the ocean can form various weathered oils (non-emulsified oil slicks (NEOS), oil emulsions (OE)) which threaten the oceanic and coastal environments and ecosystems. Optical remote sensing has the unique ability to discriminate oil types and quantify oil volumes as their spectral contrasts with oil-free seawater. Here, a deep learning-based model is developed for identification, classification, and quantification of various oil types. Based on the oil-contained datasets collected from 7 satellite sensors from April 2019 to August 2023, the origin, quantity, and spatial distribution of oils spilled from ships and rigs in the China Seas are mapped in detail. We found that oil spill incidents are primarily from ship discharges (85.8 %), while platform leaks lead to more oil emulsions (58.6 % compared to 13.1 % from ships), which illuminates that the drilling oils are the main source of oil spill pollution in China Seas. The spilled oils correlate with major port locations, including offshore Qingdao and Rongcheng, Bohai Bay, the adjacent areas of Beihai, and Hue and Danang in Vietnam. This study provides new insights into the assessment and management of offshore and marine oil spills.

Synthesis of dicholesteryl organogelator as a green sorbent nanomaterial for oil spill remediation

In the field of global water purification, the issue of marine oil spills represents a significant challenge. The use of phase-selective organogelators (PSOGs) as sorbent materials in oil spill remediation is a promising solution due to their environmental adaptability and high absorption capacity. However, there are limited reports on PSOGs that can be used in powder form for rapid phase-selective gelation of crude oils. In this context, the development of innovative dicholesteryl derivatives as low-molecular-weight organogelators (LMOGs) offers a promising solution in powder form. These gelators are synthesized through a one-pot multi-component reaction as green synthesis method, which ensures high purity and eliminates the need for harsh conditions. The incorporation of cholesterol into the gelator structure demonstrate environmental adaptability. The exceptional sorption capacity was attributed to the structured 2D/3D networks observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hydrophobic properties of these gelators, as evidenced by a water contact angle of 118 degrees, enable them to efficiently gel various organic solvents at low concentrations (1% w/v) at ambient temperatures, without the need for heating–cooling cycles or co-solvents. The eco-friendly nature and efficient oil–water separation capabilities of these gelators in powder form represent a significant advancement in global water purification efforts.

Synthesis of a new oil-absorbing PVC oil boom and its application to maritime oil spills

This paper aims to address the issue of environmental pollution resulting from marine oil spills by evaluating the oil adsorption performance of commonly used fence materials. Conventional oil adsorption materials exhibit limited rates and capacities for oil adsorption. Existing methods have proven insufficient in meeting the requirements for efficient and rapid oil–water separation. A new oil-absorbing barrier was developed by utilizing high oil adsorption resin as the primary material and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) as the binder, leveraging the exceptional oil adsorption and hydrophobic properties of P(BMA-SMA-St)/MIL-101(Fe) resin. The oil-absorbing fence was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The oil adsorption rates of carbon tetrachloride, toluene, diesel and gasoline by the oil adsorption fence with 25 g/L resin content were 101.26 g/m2, 68.12 g/m2, 35.19 g/m2, and 46.69 g/m2, respectively. After 120 h of UV irradiation, the coating’s oil absorption capacity remained nearly unchanged, and it demonstrated outstanding mechanical, chemical, and wear resistance. As a result, the oil adsorption fence possesses the capability to rapidly absorb oil from the water’s surface during the process of containing oil pollution, leading to positive social and economic impacts.

Research on marine oil spill identification based on laser-induced fluorescence LiDAR

The rise in oil extraction and transportation in marine environments has led to frequent oil spill incidents, posing a severe threat to marine ecosystems and becoming an urgent environmental issue. This paper presents a laser-induced fluorescence light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system specifically designed for monitoring marine oil spills. The system comprises a laser emission module, a receiving module, a data processing module, and a wireless transmission module. Through outdoor experiments, the system has demonstrated its effectiveness and reliability in detecting and identifying various oil types, including crude oil, diesel, heavy oil, gasoline, and lubricating oil. Additionally, a BP neural network model was employed to process the fluorescence spectral data collected by the LiDAR system. This model successfully predicted oil types with an accuracy of 96.58%. This research presents a new technological solution for marine oil spill monitoring, offering significant potential for practical applications and further research.

A seawater field study of crude and fuel oil depletion in Northern Norway at two different seasons – Chemistry and bacterial communities

After marine oil spills, natural processes like photooxidation and biodegradation can remove the oil from the environment. However, these processes are strongly influenced by environmental conditions. To achieve a greater understanding of how seasonal variations in temperature, light exposure and the bacterial community affect oil depletion in the marine environment, we performed two field experiments during the spring and autumn. Field systems equipped with a thin oil film of Statfjord, Grane or ULSFO were deployed in northern Norway. Depletion of the total extractable matter was faster during the spring than during the autumn. Statfjord showed faster depletion of n-alkanes during spring, while depletion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons varied between the seasons based on the degree of alkyl-substitutions. ULSFO displayed the overall slowest depletion. Biodegradation of the oils was associated with high abundances of unassigned bacteria during the spring but was governed by Alcanivorax, Cycloclasticus, Oleibacter and Oleispira during the autumn.

A multifunctional coating with switchable wettability for efficient oil-water and emulsions separation

Superwettable materials with switchable wettability have been attracting tremendous attention in the field of oil-water separation. In this work, a multifunctional coating with switchable wettability was designed for efficient oil-water and emulsions separation. Fe3O4 was combined with TiO2 nanoparticles and hydrophobically modified by low surface energy stearic acid (SA) to form the Fe3O4/TiO2@SA coating with uniform micro-nanostructures. The introduction or removal of amino group via ammonia treatment or heating treatment endowed the coating with reversible conversion between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity. By switching hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, the coating could separate oil/water/oil ternary mixtures in sequence with high separation efficiency of more than 99.9 %. More importantly, it displayed excellent separation efficiency with oil rejection above 99.5 % for oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions and water rejection above 98.7 % for water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. Moreover, this coating showed reliable reusability and mechanical stability after 10 cycles of O/W and W/O emulsions separation and 20 cycles of sandpaper abrasion. Fe3O4 and TiO2 imparted magnetic and photocatalytic properties to the coating, allowing it to be used for magnetic navigation of oil absorption and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. The unique features of multifunctional coating with switchable wettability provide the blueprint for treating oily wastewater and marine oil spills.

Marine Ecological Damage Assessment Model for Offshore Oil Extraction

&lt;p&gt;With the progress of society and the development of the economy, people’s awareness of environmental protection is also becoming stronger. Therefore, the damage caused by marine oil spills caused by offshore oil extraction to marine ecology is also receiving more and more attention from people. Marine ecological damage assessment involves various disciplines such as environmental chemistry, biology, toxicology, and hydrodynamics, and requires a large amount of data support, making it a challenge in the field of marine claims. To quantitatively evaluate marine oil spill accidents, the Spill Impact Model Application Package model is used as the system framework to build a marine ecological damage assessment model. The MIKE21 model is used for physical fate simulation, while the biological effects model is used for resource damage assessment of the ecological environment and aquatic organisms. The model is validated using the oil spill accident in Dongshan Bay as an example. The validation results show that the total loss of aquatic organisms under conditions 1 and 2 is 67.30 tons and 56.03 tons, respectively. Under condition 1, the ecological environment of coral and mangroves is affected by an area of 8.805km2 and 5.859km2, respectively, resulting in a loss of 19.5168 million yuan in ecological resources. Under condition 2, the ecological environment of coral and mangroves is affected by an area of 7.646 km2 and 13.515 km2, respectively, resulting in a loss of 26.322 million yuan in ecological resources. In summary, it can be seen that the research on marine ecological damage assessment models for offshore oil extraction provides certain reference value for the field of marine ecological damage assessment in China.&lt;/p&gt;

Understanding the impact of marine oil spill on corporate performance for improving oil spill claims system

Marine oil spill disasters occur frequently and have serious economic impacts on coastal activities. Taking the Penglai 19–3 oil spill (PL 19–3 oil spill) event as an example, this paper employs a difference-in-difference estimation method to examine the impact of marine oil spill on corporate performance. The main results show that the PL19–3 oil spill reduces the net revenue of marine enterprises relying on the Bohai Sea and coastal resources, as high as 102.8 %. In the aftermath of the PL19–3 oil spill, there was a fluctuating and increasing trend of the negative impacts on the net profits of marine companies, indicating the long-term persistence of negative impacts. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the marine secondary industry is more likely to be affected by the PL19–3 oil spill than the marine primary and tertiary industries. The marine tertiary industry is the least affected. Oil spill disasters are also found to reveal great influences on non-state-owned and young enterprises. This study provides a reference for improving the scope of oil spill claimants and is conducive to further improving the mechanism for claiming compensation for damage caused by marine oil spills.

Mechanically durable, recyclable polyvinyl alcohol/lignin-based aerogel for efficient oil/water separation and solar-powered removal of high-viscosity oil

Marine oil spill pollution poses a significant environmental issue, and its swift cleanup remains a global challenge and intricate dilemma. To address this problem, a polyvinyl alcohol/lignin-based multifunctional aerogel adsorbents were successfully crafted using unidirectional freeze-drying and chemical vapor deposition with alkali lignin (AL), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), multi-armed carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS). These aerogels excel in photothermal conversion, leveraging lignin and CNTs' synergistic heat transfer. Swiftly warmed by sunlight, they reach surface temperatures of 76.1 °C and 96.0 °C in 120 s under 100 mW cm−2 and 200 mW cm−2 intensities. With an adsorption capacity 36–86 times its weight, the aerogel is reusable, maintaining 90 % efficiency after 10 cycles. Furthermore, it maintains high oil absorption rates in acidic, alkaline, high-temperature, and high-salt environments. Hence, this aerogel is promising for marine oil spill responses. Additionally, this work introduces a novel method for synthesizing high-performance oil-absorbing agents from biological resources, realizing the concept of waste-to-treasure and enhancing the high-value utilization of lignin.

Offshore oil spills in Brazil: An extensive review and further development

The present study offers an extensive overview on the evolution and current state of marine oil spill research in Brazil and then discusses further directions. Given the historical and current relevance of this issue, this paper also aims to summarize the exploration, geological background, design of oil spills timeline and assessment of the most important of them. Moreover, it includes a critical comparison of Brazilian oil spill models in terms of their simulation abilities, real-time field data assimilation, space and time forecasts and uncertainty evaluation. This study also presents the perspectives of the Multi-User System for Detection, Prediction, and Monitoring of Oil Spills at Sea (SisMOM) the largest and most important Brazilian project to face the offshore oil spills.

The radiative properties in the near-infrared band of crude oil emulsion dispersed in the seawater

The complex refractive index and radiative properties of crude oils are essential parameters for remote sensing, which is paramount for accurately and quantitatively detecting marine oil spills. In this study, the complex refractive index in the near-infrared band of crude oil from Daqing Oilfield is measured by the combined transmission - KK transformation method, and the absorption spectral features are analyzed. A modified-Mie method is employed to calculate the radiative properties of crude oil droplets immersed in an absorbing medium, and the impact of medium absorption is examined. Furthermore, the spectral absorption/scattering coefficient and scattering phase function of the oil-in-water (OW) emulsion dispersed in seawater are calculated, and the corresponding correlations between the radiative properties and chemical compositions of the crude oil are analyzed. The research reveals that the differences in the components of crude oil and seawater result in variations in the absorption peaks/troughs in their absorption spectra curve, which subsequently cause a gradual increase/decrease in absorption and scattering coefficients as the volume fraction of emulsion increases. The quantitative correlations of the absorption/scattering coefficient with the volume fraction of OW emulsion are presented, which are significant for improving the quantification monitoring of emulsified oil spills and identifying different types of pollutants.

Eco-friendly MXene/enteromorpha prolifera biomass aerogel with excellent photothermal conversion and flame retardant properties for efficient separation of viscous oil/seawater mixture

Traditional adsorbents are often ineffective in cleaning up high-viscosity oil spills that cause harm to the marine environment. An efficient, safe and eco-friendly solution is urgently needed. Here, we prepare a superhydrophobic MXene/gelatin-enteromorpha prolifera biomass aerogel (H-MXene/G-EP) with excellent photothermal conversion and flame retardancy for solar-driven remediation of high-viscosity oil spills. The short-range aligned multidomain lamellar structure constructed through unidirectional freeze casting endows H-MXene/G-EP with compressibility and an adsorption capacity (63.7 g/g). Due to the excellent light responsiveness and full-spectrum high absorption of H-MXene/G-EP, it can reach a surface temperature 71.6 °C under 1 Sun (1.0 kW/m2), and an in-situ adsorption rate 367.40 g/h for viscous crude oil. The efficiency of separating O/W emulsions is up to 99.1%, which greatly broadens the range of applications for oil/water separation technology. Furthermore, the H-MXene/G-EP exhibits excellent flame retardancy, reducing the heat release rate by 89.59% and the total smoke production rate by 47.83%, respectively. This effectively reduces the probability of secondary marine fires. Thus, this novel biomass-derived aerogel provides a feasible and environmentally friendly solution for effective remediation of marine oil spills.

A review of the prospects, efficacy and sustainability of nanotechnology-based approaches for oil spill remediation.

Numerous marine oil spill incidents and their environmental catastrophe have raised the concern of the research community and environmental agencies on the topic of the offshore crude oil spill. The oil transport through oil tankers and pipelines has further aggravated the risk of the oil spill. This has led to the necessity to develop an effective, environment-friendly, versatile oil spill clean-up strategy. The current review article analyses various nanotechnology-based methods for marine oil spill clean-up, focusing on their recovery rate, reusability and cost. The authors weighed the three primary factors recovery, reusability and cost distinctively for the analysis based on their significance in various contexts. The findings and analysis suggest that magnetic nanomaterials and nano-sorbent have been the most effective nanotechnology-based marine oil spill remediation techniques, with the magnetic paper based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires standing out with a recovery rate of over 99%. The chitosan-silica hybrid nano-sorbent and multi-wall carbon nanotubes are also promising options with high recovery rates of up to 95-98% and the ability to be reused multiple times. Although the photocatalytic biodegradation approach and the nano-dispersion method do not offer benefits for recovery or reusability, they can nevertheless help lessen the negative ecological effects of marine oil spills. Therefore, careful evaluation and selection of the most appropriate method for each marine oil spill situation is crucial. The current review article provides valuable insights into the current state of nanotechnology-based marine oil spill clean-up methods and their potential applications.

Marine oil spill detection and segmentation in SAR data with two steps Deep Learning framework

Marine oil spills pose significant ecological and economic threats worldwide, requiring effective decision-making tools. In this study, the optimal parameters, and configurations for Deep Learning models in oil spill classification and segmentation using Sentinel-1 SAR imagery were identified. First, a new Sentinel-1 image dataset was created. Ninety CNN configurations were explored for classification by varying the number of convolutional layers, filters, hidden layers, and neurons in each layer. For segmentation tasks, MLP and U-Net models were evaluated with variations in convolutional layers, filters, and incorporation of IoU and Focal Loss. The results indicated that a CNN model with six layers, 32 filters, and two hidden layers achieved 99 % classification accuracy. For segmentation, the U-Net model with more layers and filters using Focal Loss achieved 99 % accuracy and 96 % IoU. Therefore, a CNN and U-Net framework was proposed that achieves an overall accuracy of 95 % and an IoU of 90 %.