Colonial auks and eiders as potential indicators of oil pollution

Colonial auk (Alcid) populations can be used as indicators of the effects of oil pollution on the seabirds of Canada's coastal zones. Of approximately 11 million breeding colonial alcids in Canada and in adjacent West Greenland waters, 87% are murres. Common Eiders may serve as the best indicators of the effects of oil pollution in Canada's western Arctic where colonial alcids are scarce.     

Recovery potential and chronic oil pollution on the South African coast

Observation of oiled sandy beaches showed the fate of oil released by a tanker collision. The amount of oil extracted depended on timing in the beach erosion and depositing cycle. The recovery of the beaches took about 8 months, but deteriorated again after the arrival of unaccounted oil batches. It is this unaccountable oil which is responsible for chronic oil pollution on the South African coast and possibly other beaches around the world.     

SOM-DRASTIC: using self-organizing map for evaluating groundwater potential to pollution

Groundwater is considered as the most important water resource, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, so it is crucial to impede this source of water to be contaminated. One of the most common methods to assess groundwater vulnerability is DRASTIC method. However, the subjectivity existing in defining DRASTIC weights and ratings as well as inadaptability of the parameters involved in this method with special geology, hydrogeology, land use and climatic conditions have urged researchers to modify this method. In this paper, a new method combining a special type of the neural networks called Self-Organizing Map (SOM) and the traditional DRASTIC model resulting in the hybrid SOM-DRASTIC model is applied to modify and improve DRASTIC Model. The traditional DRASTIC method holds a summation among all negative effects of different factors contributing to vulnerability, while the proposed hybrid method is able of classifying the groundwater vulnerability and deriving the real relation existing between the DRASTIC parameters as the inputs and the vulnerability class as the output of the method. The vulnerability assessment process was performed on the Zayandeh-Rud river basin aquifers in Iran. The SOM-DRASTIC identified the northern parts of the study area as the most vulnerable areas with a drastically fractured structure, while the traditional DRASTIC ranked the western parts as the most vulnerable regions with a high rate of net recharge. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can be used by managers and decision-makers as an alternative robust tool for vulnerability-based classification and land use planning.     

Compensation for oil pollution damage caused by oil spills from ships and the international oil pollution compensation fund

Liability and compensation for pollution damage caused by oil spills from laden tankers is governed by two international conventions: the 1969 Civil Liability Convention and the 1971 Fund Convention. The Civil Liability Convention established a system of strict liability for tanker owners and introduced compulsory liability insurance. The Fund Convention created a system of supplementary compensation administered by an intergovernmental organization, the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC Fund), which at present has 56 member states (August 1993). The IOPC Fund pays compensation to victims of oil pollution in member states when the compensation from the shipowner and his insurer is insufficient. Over the years (up to August 1993), the IOPC Fund has been involved in 66 incidents and has paid US$92 million to victims. Only three of these incidents have been taken to court, whereas in all other cases claims have been settled out of court. The IOPC Fund has developed a policy on the admissibility of claims covering clean-up costs, measures to prevent pollution, damage to property and economic loss suffered by fishermen, hotel-owners and others who depend directly for their livelihood on sea-related activities.     

井-地与井间电位技术联合数值模拟研究剩余油分布(英文)

电法测井有很高的分辨率,但是它的探测半径仅限于井孔周围;井-地电位技术虽然可以探测到足够大的范围,但是它的分辨率却受到很大的限制,特别是对于油水分布或者结构复杂的储层。本文试图通过井-地电位技术和井间电位技术的联合来研究地下储层油水分布范围。具体方法是,采用井-地电位技术研究油水分布在在横向上的展布情况,利用井间电位技术研究油水储层在垂向上的分布,然后采用井间电位结果标定井地电位结果,两者结合提高纵向分辨率,从而确定剩余油的三维空间分布。研究中通过研究注水初期数值模拟结果与水淹期数值模拟结果之差,求取剩余油分布范围。有限差分方法数值模拟表明:井-地电位技术与井间电位技术联合方法可以有效地确定剩余油分布。     

Macoma balthica: An indicator of oil pollution

The intertidal bivalve mollusc Macoma balthica shows potential as an indicator of oil pollution. In experiments designed to simulate stranding of an oil slick on a mudflat, a significant increase in mortality of this species was found to accompany increasing concentration of petroleum in sediment and increasing duration of exposure.     

Correlation between nitrate contamination and ground water pollution potential

AQUIPRO, a PC-based method, was used to assess aquifer vulnerability using digital water well logs. The AQUIPRO model is a parameter/factor weighting system for rating the pollution potential of an aquifer. This method uses the well depth, as well as the clay and partial clay thickness in a well, to generate pollution potential scores. In this model, aquifer protection increases as the AQUIPRO vulnerability scores increase and ground water pollution potential decreases. Computerized water well records of 2435 domestic wells with partial chemistry data were used to determine the ground water pollution potential of Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Theoretically, low AQUIPRO pollution potential scores should have more frequent occurrences of ground water contamination events than areas with high AQUIPRO scores with similar land-use, well construction, and well densities. The relative AQUIPRO scores were compared with the frequency of occurrences of nitrate-N in ground water wells. The average nitrate-N concentrations within each relative AQUIPRO vulnerability scores category were also compared. The results indicate that domestic wells containing 5 mg/L or more nitrate-N showed a positive correlation between the frequency of occurrences of nitrate-N and relative decrease of AQUIPRO (r2 = 0.99) vulnerability scores. In other words, as the ground water pollution potential increases, the occurrence frequency of nitrate-N also increases. Furthermore, the results show that as the relative AQUIPRO (r2 = 0.96) vulnerability scores decrease, the mean nitrate-N concentrations also increase.     

Trends in chronic marine oil pollution in Danish waters assessed using 22 years of beached bird surveys

Beached bird surveys provide an important tool for monitoring the level of oil pollution at sea, which is the most significant observable cause of death for a large number of waterbird species and pose a serious threat to wintering seabird populations. Linear regression analyses of oil rates from the Danish 22 year dataset show a decline in the oil pollution level in offshore areas of the eastern North Sea and Skagerrak and in near-shore parts of the Kattegat; but a worsening in the offshore areas of the Kattegat. These results raise concern for species such as common scoter, velvet scoter, eider and razorbill, for which the Kattegat serves as a globally important wintering area. It is recommended that surveillance for oil spills is intensified in inner Danish waters, and that action is taken to make responses towards offenders faster, and penalties for oil seepage higher.     

对油气藏潮汐重力勘探的探讨

利用油气藏潮汐重力异常直接找油是近年从俄罗斯引进的方法,但这一方法的原理在国内研究得很少,其有效性和可靠性还没有得到充分的论证.本文对油藏潮汐重力的形成机制、潮汐重力的观测和数据处理方法进行了研究.理论计算表明,油藏潮汐重力异常在微伽量级,而实际资料表明潮汐重力的观测误差为10μGal量级,油藏潮汐重力异常可能会被噪声淹没,所以没有观测到潮汐重力异常不等于地下没有油气;实际观测的潮汐重力异常可达数十μGal,即使超过观测误差的3倍,也不能将它直接归因于油藏产生的潮汐重力异常.例如:潮汐重力改正的误差可能达到数十μGal,对有效异常形成干扰.     

Monitoring air pollution in China from geostationary satellite: A synthetic study using simulated observations

We simulated geostationary satellite observations to assess the potential for high spatial-and temporal-resolution monitoring of air pollution in China with a focus on tropospheric ozone(O_3), nitrogen dioxide(NO_2), sulfur dioxide(SO_2), and formaldehyde(HCHO). Based on the capabilities and parameters of the payloads onboard sun-synchronous satellites, we simulated the observed spectrum based on a radiative transfer model using a geostationary satellite model. According to optimal estimation theory, we analyzed the sensitivities and retrieval uncertainties of the main parameters of the instrument for the target trace gases. Considering the retrieval error requirements of each trace gas, we determined the major instrument parameter values(e.g., observation channel, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio). To evaluate these values, retrieval simulation was performed based on the three-dimensional distribution of the atmospheric components over China using an atmospheric chemical transportation model. As many as 90% of the experiments met the retrieval requirements for all target gases. The retrieval precision of total-column and stratospheric O_3 was 2%. In addition, effective retrieval of all trace gases could be achieved at solar zenith angles larger than 70°. Therefore, the geostationary satellite observation and instrument parameters provided herein can be used in air pollution monitoring in China. This study offers a theoretical basis and simulation tool for improving the design of instruments onboard geostationary satellites.     

Water pollution: A view from ecology

The results of various methods typically used by governments to assess the environmental impact of potential pollutants do not give comparable results. It is argued that the cause is not the assessment techniques themselves but rather the paradigm of ecology from which they spring.     

Echinoderms from Azores islands: An unexpected source of antibiotic resistant Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli isolates

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance and the implicated mechanisms of resistance were evaluated in Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli, isolated from a total of 250 faecal samples of echinoderms collected from Azorean waters (Portugal). A total of 144 enterococci (120 Enterococcus faecium, 14 E. hirae, 8 E. faecalis, 2 E. gallinarum) and 10 E. coli were recovered. High percentages of resistance in enterococci were found for erythromycin, ampicillin, tetracyclin and ciprofloxacin. The erm(A) or erm(B), tet(M) and/or tet(L), vat(D), aac(6′)-aph(2″) and aph(3′)-IIIa genes were found in isolates resistant to erythromycin, tetracycline, quinupristin/dalfopristin, high-level gentamicin and high-level kanamycin, respectively. Resistance in E. coli isolates was detected for streptomycin, amikacin, tetracycline and tobramycin. The aadA gene was found in streptomycin-resistant isolates and tet(A) + tet(B) genes in tetracycline-resistant isolates. The data recovered are essential to improve knowledge about the dissemination of resistant strains through marine ecosystems and the possible implications involved in transferring these resistances either to other animals or to humans.     

Seabirds and chronic oil pollution: self-cleaning properties of gulls, Laridae, as revealed from colour-ring sightings

Mystery oil spills off the Dutch coast affected colonial, adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls prior to and within the breeding season. From colour-ringed individuals, it was demonstrated that most oiled birds survived and were clean within a few weeks and often bred successfully. Further evidence of self-cleaning properties of Larus-gulls is provided from a long-term colour-ringing project (1984-2009). In total 46 birds were reported ‘oiled’, two died, but the majority cleaned itself and survived for up to 20 years after being oiled. From colour-ring data and 30 years of beached bird surveys (1980-2010) it is demonstrated that the effects of chronic oil pollution is larger in winter than in summer; a reflection of seasonal differences in exposure and environmental conditions. The self-cleaning properties of gulls are such that long-term survival is not necessarily jeopardised and even in a breeding season, not all is lost in case of a spill.     

The Bonn Agreement Aerial Surveillance programme: trends in North Sea oil pollution 1986-2004

This paper examines the use of aerial surveillance activities conducted in the North Sea region of Europe since 1986 to assess trends in levels of oil inputs into the marine environment, both across the whole region and within the waters of the different coastal states. It makes use of data collected under the aegis of the 1969 Bonn Agreement through its Annual Reports on Aerial Surveillance and examines developments in surveillance methods and technology which have led to improvements in the detection of oil spills, even during the hours of darkness. The paper then examines country specific data for the eight North Sea contracting parties to the Agreement to assess trends in oil spills in the region.     

Characteristic of oil pollution of the Sea of Azov and regularities in its dynamics

Oil pollution of water and bottom sediments (BS) of the Sea of Azov is characterized by using the results of studies carried out in different seasons of 1985–2005. Regularities in the dynamics of oil pollution are discussed and correlated with the stages in changes in the country’s economy.     

Biogenic hydrocarbons and their effect on oil pollution estimates of the Sea of Azov

The results of studies on the efficiency of identification criteria for the origin of hydrocarbons in the ecosystem of the Sea of Azov. Their amount in the cells of major planktonic and benthic organisms of the Sea of Azov. The share of biogenic hydrocarbons in their total amount determined by monitoring the oil pollution of the sea is also evaluated.     

Atmospheric potential gradients and point discharge currents as a sensor of level of pollution

The measurement and monitoring of atmospheric pollutants is an important aspect of pollution studies. A novel method of assessment of the level of pollution in the atmosphere is conceived using point discharge and potential gradients. The present paper is an attempt to show that measurement of the point discharge current (PDC) and potential gradient (PG) can be used to provide information regarding the nature of charges and level of pollution in the atmosphere. The measurement of the PDC and PG in different localities is presented and discussed.     

The pollution of groundwater and unsaturated zone rocks by oil products and PAH in urban areas

An approach to assessing the hazard of unsaturated zone rocks as a source of subsoil-water secondary pollution by oil products and PAH is considered based on environmental-geochemical studies of soils and rocks of the unsaturated zone, groundwater, and snow, which were carried out during the rehabilitation of the water environment of Lefortovskii Park (Moscow). The impact of the primary pollution sources is analyzed, and the formation of groundwater and rock pollution by oil products and PAH is considered. To assess the role of the unsaturated zone as a secondary source of pollution of surface and subsurface waters under the conditions of possible elimination of the primary sources, the transport of oil products (benzol and toluene) and PAH (pyrene) in unsaturated zone was simulated using WHI UnSat Suite Plus software package.     

An integrated technique to quantify sewage,oil and PAH pollution in estuarine and coastal environments

An analytical protocol is described which allows parallel quantification of sewage, oil and PAH pollution on the same sample, thus maximizing the information gained for the effort expended. Capillary gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID), now a routine technique in many laboratories, has been selected as the method for quantification. The protocol described is evaluated, and analyses of sediments from estuaries of the Rivers Mersey, Dee and Tamar, UK, are given as examples of how to interpret results achieved using the technique.