Marine Pollution Problems Research Articles

Energy-efficient eco-friendly marine waste treatment: Recovery of caprolactam from fishing net waste using seashell-derived catalyst

Fishing net waste (FNW) is marine waste having significantly negative effects on the marine environment and ultimately human health. Herein, we endeavored to use a catalyst made from seashells for the recovery of caprolactam (CPL) from FNW (made of polyamide 6; free of any other materials like floats, lead lines, and sand) via a catalytic pyrolysis under CO2 atmosphere. The catalytic pyrolysis of FNW in CO2 over the seashell-derived catalyst yielded 77.7 wt% CPL at 500 °C. It was simulated on a large-scale based on data from laboratory-scale experiments, and energy analysis and life-cycle assessment (LCA) were carried out. The proposed integrated process consists of three steps: FNW-to-CPL conversion via catalytic pyrolysis, CPL recovery, and heat and power production. An effective separation process consisting of in series of flash and distillation columns was designed by considering the characteristics of resulting mixture, and the overall process allows the production of CPL from FNW with a high yield (74.3%). This value is only 3.4% point lower than the experimental yield of CPL (77.7%), and the energy requirements (0.21 MW heating energy) are met internally. The results of the LCA suggest that the proposed strategy can help solve the problem of marine pollution from debris such as FNW.

A study on transboundary governance of marine plastic debris-the case of an adjacent waters between China and Taiwan.

This study aimed to construct a transboundary marine governance mechanism in the Kinmen-Xiamen waters through literature review, field survey, in-depth interview, and expert opinion survey. The study finds that monsoons, ocean currents, and tides are the main factors affecting the drift of marine debris in the Xiamen Sea area to the beaches of Kinmen. The marine debris mainly included marine plastic debris (MPD), bamboo, and wood in Kinmen and was documented impacting a variety of species, including the horseshoe crab to marine mammals the IndoPacific dolphin. In addition, the problem of marine micro-plastic pollution is becoming increasingly worrisome and hazardous to rare creatures in the Xiamen Sea area. The pollution sources of MPD in Xiamen Bay included coastal tourism activities, micro-plastic discharged from sewage treatment plants, plastic waste produced by lost and discarded marine aquaculture, and plastic drifting terrestrial waste transported from the Jiulong River Basin. Our results show that microplastic pollution in the Kinmen-Xiamen waters may have a greater impact on marine ecology and the surrounding environment. The relevant transboundary marine governance mechanisms are discussed in this study.

Microplastic ingestion in key fish species of food webs in the Southwest Atlantic (Marine Protected Area Namuncurá / Burdwood Bank)

Microplastics (MPs) are currently one of the main problems of marine pollution, being found in all environmental matrices. Due to their size, they can be ingested by organisms directly (from the environment) or indirectly (with their prey). The objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence, abundance, concentration, and chemical nature of MPs present in the gastrointestinal tract of two fish species, Patagonotothen guntheri and Patagonotothen ramsayi, both of which are key in the food web of the Marine Protected Area Namuncurá/ Banco Burdwood (MPA N/BB). The analyzed species presented high values of MPs per individual (MPs/ind.) and occurrence compared to other studies. P. guntheri tended to have a lower number of MPs/ind. and occurrence than P. ramsayi (P. guntheri: 2.50 ± 1.93 MPs/ind., 82.50 %; P. ramsayi: 3.93 ± 2.91 MPs/ind., 90.60 %). While fibers were the predominant MPs in both species, P. ramsayi had a greater number of fragments and a greater variety of MPs chemical composition than P. guntheri. The prevailing chemical composition was cellulosic material (cellulose and cellulose mixed with polyamide and polyester). Synthetic fibers and fragments such as polyester (PET), alkyd resin, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyacrylic fiber and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl chloride) were also found. Although both species have a generalist diet, the differences found may be due to the fact that P. guntheri has benthopelagic feeding habits while P. ramsayi has demersal-benthic. Our study is the first report on the presence and characterization of MPs in organisms relevant to food webs in the Southwest Atlantic.

The UN Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) — An ocean science-policy interface standing the test of time

Addressing the wide range of marine pollution problems facing the global ocean requires a continual transfer of credible, relevant and timely scientific information to policy and decision makers in coastal and ocean management. The United Nations GESAMP (Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection) is a long-standing scientific advisory group providing such information on a wide range of marine topics and emerging issues of concern to ten UN Sponsoring Organizations. This paper presents an overview of GESAMPs operation and examples of its current work. The group's scientific output is often cited by national governments, inter-governmental groups, and a range of non-governmental groups. Given the growing concerns about ocean health and the impacts of many stressors in an era of climate change, the development of timely and effective ocean policy and decision making would benefit from wider recognition and application of GESAMPs work.

An Examination of Evolving Concerns, Obstacles, and Prospects in Relation to Pollution in the Marine Environment

This article looks at how current regulatory tools may be used to successfully limit and reduce marine pollution. The urgent problem of marine pollution and its destructive effects on marine ecosystems and marine animals needs our immediate attention. In light of these concerns, legislative frameworks at the national and international levels have been established to control or eliminate marine pollution. Despite this, marine pollution is a widespread problem that has a chilling effect on the maritime economy. It's important to emphasize that marine pollution is seldom addressed until it has disastrous consequences. To better understand how effective current frameworks are in reducing marine pollution, this article analyses how they operate. To prevent the appearance of the disastrous detrimental effects of hazardous substances, it thinks that preventative steps should be adopted to ensure compliance with these criteria. Importantly, the article underscores the tendency for attention to be directed towards marine pollution only when its consequences become catastrophic. To comprehensively assess the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks in curbing marine pollution, this study meticulously analyzes their operational dynamics. It contends that a proactive approach, focused on preventive measures to ensure compliance with established criteria, is imperative to avert the disastrous effects of hazardous substances and promote a sustainable marine environment.

Perception and Awareness of Marine Plastic Pollution in Selected Tourism Beaches of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, Philippines

Tourism is a significant economic activity in coastal communities, but when badly managed, it degrades the health of the marine-coastal ecosystem, increasing litter pollution and repels beach visitors. This study aims to assess the tourism impact on litter pollution on four growing tourism beaches of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Plastic litters were sampled from four tourism sites (Cabgan Island, Turtle Island, Dapdap Beach, Panaraga Beach) of Barobo by establishing transect lines with quadrats. Those who agreed to participate in perception and knowledge tests about marine debris were interviewed at the aforementioned beaches. Respondents was generally aware of marine pollution problems, specifically marine pollution relating to human and ecological health. Respondents identified tourism as a main litter source and plastic packaging as the most common litter type, which is true based on macrolitter collection. Because tourism causes plastic pollution on all of the beaches studied, stronger regulations, educational, and awareness efforts are crucial to reduce litter pollution and avert ecological and socioeconomic consequences.
 Structured Abstract: Purpose: Tourism plays a big role in the economic status of a country. It provides livelihood to the community and helps in poverty elevation. But tourism also brings pollution, i.e., plastic pollution, if not properly managed. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the perception and awareness of tourists on plastic pollution and its impacts on tourism. 
 Design/methodology/approach: The study was limited to surveys and key informant interviews (KII) since fora and assemblies are not allowed due to pandemic health protocols. Survey sampling was done simultaneously with the macroplastic collection from July 10 to August 12, 2021. Convenience sampling design was used, and data was collected on willing individuals present in the area. The awareness questionnaire used the Likert Scale method, while the individual perception used multiple choice or open-ended questions. Statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS and Microsoft excel.
 Findings: A total of 105 willing individuals were legally part of this study. Of the 105 respondents surveyed, 70 of which are tourists from island beaches and 35 are from mainland beaches. Respondents were generally aware of most issues presented to them. The top issues that the respondents relate the most are related to plastic effects on health and environment. The majority of the surveyed tourists on island beaches perceived high macrolitter pollution, while those on mainland beaches perceived low pollution. This perception of respondents agrees with the litter quantities registered and collected. Furthermore, the perception of plastic packaging as the most common type of litter has been found out to be true based on sampling collections. Tourists on the beaches of Barobo are aware of the problem of marine litter and see the tourism sector as a source of waste, notably plastics.
 Originality: This research paper submitted by us is an outcome of our independent and original work. We have duly acknowledged all the sources from which the ideas and extracts have been taken. The paper is free from any plagiarism and has not been submitted elsewhere for publication.

Optimization of Liner Operations and Fuel Selection considering Emission Control Areas.

The continuous expansion of shipping trade has brought about increasingly serious marine pollution problems. In the context of emission reduction in the global shipping industry, this paper focuses on the operation optimization of container ships inside and outside the emission control area (ECA). From the dual perspectives of shipowners and the general public, models in the annual operating cycle are established to study the economic and environmental benefit differences between traditional fuels, i.e., heavy fuel oil (HFO) and low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO), and alternative fuels, i.e., liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol. Sensitivity analysis was carried out for the proportion of ECA and ship speed. The results show that, in the current situation of high natural gas prices, the use of HFO after the installation of scrubbers is still the most cost-effective option in the short term, followed by the use of LSFO and methanol. LNG is no longer an attractive option, while LSFO and methanol are the best options for both cost and the environment. With the tightening of ECA regulations, methanol will become the optimal choice when the ECA ratio is higher than 47%. By reducing the speed of the ship, the pollutant emission can be effectively reduced, but it will also lead to an overall decrease in profits. Considering the future "zero carbon" emission targets, slow streaming is only suitable as a short-term response measure, while switching to green power energy is a choice that is more in line with the long-term development strategy.

Cellular mariculture: Challenges of delivering sustainable protein security

Globally, there is a need for additional high-quality protein to meet the needs of those who do not have adequate protein and to meet future dietary needs based on population growth projections. Cellular mariculture has received a great deal of attention from investors who see the promises of the technology to create protein that mitigates pressures on wild sources, avoids problems of marine pollution, and alleviates concerns over exploited labor. Comparing existing life cycle analyses for marine capture fish, aquaculture harvested fish, and cell-based meat, this article highlights challenges for the cellular mariculture industry that will need to be addressed before the technology can be considered anything more than a small-scale boutique technology for high income countries. While the industry has expressed concerns over regulatory approvals, the bigger challenges for the industry will be addressing energy usage, feedstock and culture medium sourcing, and general equity concerns. Cellular mariculture may be part of a multi-part solution for future protein but is not a panacea for poor fisheries or aquaculture management.

Environmental issues Relating to Offshore Petroleum Installations -An International Perspective-

Petroleum is the main problem of marine pollution, as it can cause physical, biological and chemical changes to the sea. Pollution of the marine environment resulting from seabed activities is one of the main threats to this environment due to the use of offshore petroleum installations. This pollution can occur as a result of drilling operations, accidental drainage, burning and drilling mud operations, as well as explosions that may occur in oil wells. Petroleum pollution has directly affected fish, birds, mammals, marine bacteria and other living marine resources. Despite that, oil and gas from offshore oil fields still dominate in order to supply the world's energy needs. The international legal bases followed in the issue of marine oil pollution related to the offshore facility play a role in addressing the legal gap inherent in the concluded agreements. The agreements at the international and regional levels seek to establish a legal and regulatory framework to limit pollution from oil platforms, in addition to holding countries accountable internationally and civilly as a result of this pollution resulting from the marine facility located within their territorial waters.

A Study on Developing Marine Space Planning as a Transboundary Marine Governance Mechanism—The Case of Illegal Sand Mining

Kinmen’s coastline has gradually retreated in recently years, which has resulted in changes in coastal landforms. Research shows that possible factors are ocean currents, monsoons, tides, coastal development, and other anthropic factors such as unauthorized sand mining in the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen. This study utilized a literature analysis, data collection, in-depth interviews, a field study, and expert opinion in order to establish a managing mechanism for marine spatial planning (MSP) for the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen. To achieve the goal, the study analyzed law enforcement capacity in the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen and explored how Taiwan and China can shelve sovereignty disputes and make a workable action plan for cooperating in maritime law enforcement based on a pragmatic and reciprocal principle. Finally, the study proposed to build an MSP-based managing mechanism that can be jointly operated by Kinmen, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou, because they belong to the same sea area. The results of this study can provide information on marine issues encountered in the governance of countries surrounding seas, such as the marine pollution problems of the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Marine Bioremediation Using Alcanivorax Borkumensis SK2 as A Waste Prevention Oil Industry on the Tunda Island to the Impact of Flood in Banten Region

Marine pollution in the water triggers many problems, one of them is in the area of Tunda Island, Banten, Indonesia. Waste pollution that occurs in the area occurs due to oil drilling activities conducted by Pertamina. As result, such drilling waste pollutes the environment of Tunda Island. The distance between residential areas and oil rigs is about 18 to 20 miles, which will take 2 hours to complete. As a result of the waste, many octopuses on Tunda Island were found drunk and dead. It will be more dangerous if the waste sticks to mangrove seedlings, in mangrove trunks and in seagrass beds, when exposed to sunlight it will melt because the gravel waste is pitch black and can burn. As the world's largest island nation, 60% of Indonesia's 265 million people depend on one-system waters. Toxic chemicals enter the oceans every day from industrial waste. This problem can lead to the risk of flood impacts for the environment affected by industrial waste pollution. Marine cleanliness plays an important role in realizing the prosperity of land and marine ecosystems. Efforts can be made with bioremediation that is recovery with the help of live bacteria such as Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2 which is γ-proteobacterium of the sea that can be used to clean contaminated environments. This research aims to prevent industrial waste pollution and prevent the risk of flood impacts in Indonesia, especially in Tunda Island, Banten. Various literature explains that A. borkumensis SK2 is able to digest linear and branched alkanes commonly found in crude oil. Bacteria grow naturally in polluted areas, when added with inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, they can accelerate the cleaning process to 2 -5 years faster than natural processes for 5 - 10 years. Therefore, the application of the use of A. borkumensis SK2 has the potential to be applied in Indonesia to overcome the problem of marine pollution.

Legal regulation of liability for environmental pollution in the carriage of dangerous goods by sea

The article considers the international legal norms and legislation of Ukraine in the field of responsibility for pollution of the marine environment during the transportation of dangerous goods, the main trends in the development of maritime navigation and environmental protection.
 The concept and essence of ecological safety of the World Ocean is defined.
 The author considers the main provisions of the Merchant Shipping Code of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine "On Transportation of Dangerous Goods", as well as international norms contained in the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution (1969), the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage (1971), the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (1976), the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Dangerous and Harmful Substances by Sea (1996), the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973).
 The above regulations contain recommendations and regulate the liability of the shipowner for damage from oil pollution from ships, release of the shipowner from liability for damage from pollution by oil and other harmful substances from ships, intent or gross negligence of the victim in cases of oil pollution. or more vessels for damage from pollution, the issue of limiting the liability of the shipowner for damage from pollution, loss of the right to limit liability for damage from pollution by hazardous substances from ships, as well as insurance and other financial support for liability for damage from pollution from ships.
 The analysis of normative acts of international and domestic legislation allowed to study the conceptual provisions of the problem, as well as to conclude that it is necessary to implement international law in the national legislation of Ukraine on ways to solve the problem of marine pollution from ships.

Modern Use of Water Produced by Purification of Municipal Wastewater: A Case Study

All the urban areas of developed countries have hydric distribution grids and sewage systems for collecting municipal wastewater to treatment plants. In this way, the municipal wastewater is purified from human excreta and other minor contaminants while producing excess sludges and purified water. In arid and semi-arid areas of the world, the purified water can be used, before discharging, to enhance the energy efficiency of seawater desalination and solve the problems of marine pollution created by desalination plants. Over the past half-century, seawater desalination has gradually met demand in urbanized, oil-rich, arid areas. At the same time, technological evolution has made it possible to significantly increase the energy efficiency of the plants and reduce the unit cost of the produced water. However, for some years, these trends have flattened out. The purified water passes through the hybridized desalination plant and produces renewable osmotic energy before the final discharge in the sea to restart the descent behaviour. Current technological development of reverse osmosis (RO), pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) and very efficient energy recovery devices (ERDs) allows this. Furthermore, it is reasonable to predict that, in the short-medium term, a new generation of membranes specifically designed for improving the performance of the pressure retarded osmosis will be available. In such circumstances, the presently estimated 13-20% decrease of the specific energy consumption will improve up to more than 30%. With the hybrid plant, the salinity of the final discharged brine is like that of seawater, while the adverse effect of GHG emission will be significantly mitigated.

GD (Generative Design) Applied to a Plastics Recovery Drone (PRD) Using IDeS (Industrial Design Structure)

The evolution of innovative and systematic design methodologies over time has widened the design concept involvement from the product development phase, which also includes the production and start-up phases. Literature findings have presented to accomplish a Generative Design (GD) approach through the application of an innovative method called Industrial Structure Design (IDeS), a systematic design method able to discover the customer’s needs and the fundamental technical solutions to obtain a good innovative product, involving the whole organization for this achievement. Nevertheless, there is a social demand for solutions to the dramatic and growing problem of marine pollution from plastic materials, encouraging the designers to conceive a new innovative drone for waste collection at sea. Therefore, this study aims to merge all the most advanced design technologies with IDeS in an integrated way, by generating a structure that can also be adopted to plan the organization of a production company. The approach is validated with the design of the Recovery Plastic Drone (RPD) obtained with the IDeS methodology, combining Design and Product development phases, leading to a better and innovative solution for the market.

Transparent Janus Hydrogel Wet Adhesive for Underwater Self-Cleaning.

The optical window is a key part of a sensor specially used for oceanographic detection, but it is often severely affected by marine biofouling and oil pollution, resulting in reduced transparency and lifespan. Hydrogel, as a hydrophilic polymer network, has excellent antifouling effects with good transparency, but it is difficult to adhere to substrates, which greatly limits its practical applications. To solve the above problem, a transparent Janus hydrogel wet adhesive was prepared through modifying poly(vinyl alcohol)/glycerol-tannic acid/Cu2+ (PVA/Gly-TA/Cu2+) hydrogel with the underwater adhesive poly(dopamine methacrylamide-co-methoxyethyl acrylate) (P(DMA-co-MEA)) via the coordination effect between Cu2+ and catechol. Even when coated with adhesive, the sample still retained good transmittance. The presence of Cu2+ endowed the hydrogel with better tensile strength and, at the same time, can improve the adhesion of the hydrogel to the substrate through the coordination effect with the adhesive. The tensile stress of Janus hydrogels can even reach 4.4 MPa, and the adhesion strength of the obtained Janus hydrogel can reach about 14 kPa in seawater. Furthermore, the Cu-rich Janus hydrogel presented a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of surface algae. The oil contact angle of the Janus hydrogel was as high as 148° underwater. After the hydrogel was reswollen, there were lower algae densities on the surfaces of the hydrogel and little change in transparency. Considering the above properties, this novel Janus hydrogel is anticipated to be a promising protective material to solve the marine pollution problem confronting optical equipment.

Digital storytelling as an educational tool for scientific, environmental and sustainable development literacy on marine litter in informal education environments (Case study: Hellenic Center for Marine Research)

The modern era is characterized by the explosion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their multiple applications both in the school community and in the extracurricular activities. ICT enables the school community to be engaged in new educational storytelling approaches with educational and learning content, using multimedia applications. This article describes a study that took place at the headquarters of the Hellenic Center for Marine Research and involved a convenience sampling of 153 high school students (ages 13 to 15 years old). The study is aimed to investigate the use of digital storytelling in developing environmental and sustainability awareness and enhancing the scientific literacy of high school students when it is used as an instructional tool in informal learning, for marine litter, a serious environmental and sub-regional issue of our days. A didactic intervention was applied focusing on digital storytelling and experiential hands-on activities covering concepts of marine pollution, to establish the acquisition of new knowledge and the strengthening of optimal behavior towards the environment and sustainable development of attitudes towards the global problem of plastic marine pollution. The results of the study confirm the importance of digital storytelling for the cultivation of students' Scientific and Environmental Literacy for oceans.

Analysis of Indigenous Bacteria as Microplastic Degradation of Sediment in the Sea Waters of Dumai, Riau Province

Nowdays Marine pollution resulted by microplastics is a global concern. Microplastic particles have the potential to cause damage to biota. One of solution to overcome the problem of marine pollution by microplastics by applying indigenous bacteria as microplastic degradation. This study was conducted to determine the type and ability of indigenous bacteria in sediments that are able to degrade microplastics. The research was conducted from October to December 2020. Sediment sampling was conducted in Dumai Sea Waters and sample analysis was conducted at the Marine Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, Riau University. Indigenous bacteria from sediments were isolated in bacterial breeding media and then tested degradation capabilities on PET plastic samples. The result of the degradation test obtained ISL8 was able to degrade the mycoplastic with a percent degradation about 7%. Molecular test of ISL8 using PCR (Polymer chain reaction) 16S rRNA method and GenBank analysis is known that ISL8 is Bacillus sp

The evolution of urban image environment innovation ability—based on the perspective of marine animal and plant protection

Taking marine animal and plant protection as an example, this study designed a three-dimensional evolution analysis method for the environmental innovation ability of city image. Firstly, a three-dimensional model of urban image environment dynamic innovation capability evolution is constructed. The model consists of content dimension, information dimension, and information dimension, including the context dimension and process dimension of the integration of innovation chain and marine animal and plant protection, so as to explore the evolution process of urban environment dynamic innovation capability. Then, starting with the three-dimensional evolution of the innovation ability of the city image and environment under the guidance of protection, this paper analyzes the internal relationship between the Marine economy and the construction of Marine ecological civilization, discusses the realistic unity of the coordinated development of the two, and completes the protection of marine animals and plants. The experimental results show that this method can effectively analyze the innovative development of marine environment in coastal cities. According to the analysis, the main way to acquire innovative knowledge of marine environment in coastal cities is intra-coastal cooperation, and the scope of cooperation is gradually expanding. However, 62.21% of the seawater in 2014 still belongs to class IV seawater, that is to say, the current problem of Marine pollution is still serious.

Feature Extraction of Marine Water Pollution Based on Data Mining

The ocean occupies more than two-thirds of the earth’s area, providing a lot of oxygen and materials for human survival and development. However, with human activities, a large number of sewage, plastic bags, and other wastes are discharged into the ocean, and the problem of marine water pollution has become a hot topic in the world. In order to extract the characteristics of marine water pollution, this study proposed K-means clustering technology based on cosine distance and discrimination to study the polluted water. In this study, the polygonal area method combined with six parameters of water quality is used to analyze the marine water body anomalies, so as to realize the rapid and real-time monitoring of marine water body anomalies. At the same time, the cosine distance method and discrimination are used to classify marine water pollutants, so as to improve the classification accuracy. The results show that the detection rate of water quality anomalies is more than 88.2%, and the overall classification accuracy of water pollution is 96.3%, which proves the effectiveness of the method. It is hoped that this study can provide timely and effective data support for the detection of marine water bodies.

Research on marine pollution problems and solutions in China from the perspective of marine tourism

Based on the perspective of marine tourism, this paper integrates various types of marine pollution, and puts forward high-quality development solutions and future extension direction of marine tourism. Through the research, it is found that the main culprits of marine pollution mainly include the following seven points: human activities produce garbage; white pollution; ship pollution; exploration of marine oil and gas resources and mineral pollution; land reclamation; pollution in mariculture industry and new estrogen pollution. The causes of marine pollution and countermeasures are discussed.