Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Thomas Anselain, Essam Heggy, Thomas Dobbelaere, Emmanuel Hanert
Summary: More than 20% of global LNG exports and almost all of Qatar's drinking water production come from vulnerable industrial sites on Qatar's eastern coast. By modeling oil-spill dispersal in Qatar's maritime waters, researchers have identified high-risk areas that pose a threat to the nation's LNG export and seawater desalination facilities. The findings suggest that these high-risk areas should be closely monitored to prevent oil spills from disrupting Qatar's LNG exports and exacerbating the global gas crisis.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Min Yang, Bing Chen, Xiaying Xin, Xing Song, Jiabin Liu, Guihua Dong, Kenneth Lee, Baiyu Zhang
Summary: The research found that the interaction between microplastics and oil, along with dispersants, could reduce the effectiveness of oil dispersion, especially under conditions of increased microplastic concentration and aging.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xingye Zhu, Joseph Kwame Lewballah, Alexander Fordjour, Xiaoping Jiang, Junping Liu, Samuel Anim Ofosu, Frank Agyen Dwomoh
Summary: The numerical model developed can accurately predict the water drop movement and mean droplet size diameter based on nozzle size and pressure. The correlation between observed and predicted droplet size values is quite good for all nozzle sizes and pressures, indicating that nozzle size and pressure significantly influence droplet size. Additionally, higher pressure results in smaller droplets, and increased wind velocity leads to greater wetted distance downwind from the sprinkler.
Editorial Material
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Giulia Pacchioni
Summary: The article introduces a novel gel-coated mesh filter that efficiently recovers viscous oil from contaminated water.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Javad Babagoli Matikolaei
Summary: The study shows that oil pollution in the Caspian Sea mainly originates from the northern and middle basins but eventually flows towards the southern basin. Physical processes like eddies in the southern basin cause the size of oil spill clusters to decrease. Additionally, the mixed layer depth in the southern basin is estimated to be between 25-35 meters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jianlong Hu, Jiaqing Chen, Xue Zhang, Jianhong Xiao, Shenfa An, Zhiyong Luan, Fan Liu, Baosheng Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility of electrostatic demulsification for O/W emulsions, focusing on enhancing demulsification efficiency by adjusting parameters such as voltage, frequency, water content, and retention time. Results showed that applying a pulsed electric field was an effective technology for promoting the coalescence of emulsified oil droplets, leading to improved oil separation efficiency.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Diana Gonzalez, Heiner Schumann, Jorn Kjolaas
Summary: This paper presents novel experimental data for improving mechanistic flow models in future works. The experiments studied the viscosity, dispersion behavior, and pressure drop of oil-water pipe flow, and a simple model for predicting pressure drop was developed.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Byoungjoon Na, Sangyoung Son, Jae-Cheon Choi
Summary: This study quantitatively investigates the initial dispersion of spilled oil using the EFDC model coupled with the MEDSLIK-II model, focusing on local contributing factors to oil dispersion. The simulation results showed distinct patterns in the advection, dispersion, and transformation of the oil slick, with oil absorption into the coast highly dependent on tidal currents, volume of oil spilled, and nearby construction activities.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
N. Van den Steen, Y. Gonzalez-Garcia, J. M. C. Mol, H. Terryn, Y. Van Ingelgem
Summary: A new approach is proposed to predict atmospheric corrosion considering different droplet size distributions and geometries. This method utilizes observed droplet size distributions and contact angles to predict corrosion. A finite element model is solved to obtain the current density as a function of droplet geometry, and the computed corrosion current densities are used to estimate material loss for different droplet size distributions and electrolyte configurations, revealing the extent of the impact of droplet size distribution on atmospheric corrosion.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiangyang Gui, Zhefan Ren, Xiaoyun Xu, Xiang Chen, Ling Zhao, Hao Qiu, Xinde Cao
Summary: The study revealed that oil spills can increase the dispersion of microplastics in sea water and enhance their transport in sea sand. The impact of oil spills on microplastics in sea water and sea sand varies in different coastal areas, which can be explained by the differences in sea water salinity and sea sand Fe/Al oxides.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiangyang Gui, Zhefan Ren, Xiaoyun Xu, Xiang Chen, Ling Zhao, Hao Qiu, Xinde Cao
Summary: The coastal zone is threatened by the accumulation of microplastics (MPs), and oil spills can enhance the dispersion and transport of MPs in seawater and sand. The dispersion of MPs in seawater is regulated by salinity, while the transport of MPs in sand is regulated by Fe/Al oxides. These findings contribute to our understanding of the behavior of MPs in coastal zones.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ri Zhang, Yumiao Wang, Yong Liu, Jifu Yin
Summary: This study investigates the impact of droplet breakup and coalescence processes on droplet size distribution in annular flow. The influence of these processes is reflected in four factors: breakup-induced droplet birth, breakup-induced droplet death, coalescence-induced droplet birth, and coalescence-induced droplet death. These four effects collectively shape the probability density distribution of droplet size after reaching a dynamic equilibrium. A numerical procedure is developed to calculate the droplet size distribution and characteristic droplet sizes using microscopic mechanisms of droplet breakup and coalescence, and the predictions are validated against experimental data.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Monica Umana, Christelle Turchiuli, Valeria Eim, Carmen Rossello, Susana Simal
Summary: Using mushroom concentrate as an emulsifier can increase the viscosity and stability of emulsions, but it can also affect droplet diameter and color.
JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizandra Perez Araujo, Carlos Henrique Medeiros de Abreu, Helenilza Ferreira Albuquerque Cunha, Alaan Ubaiara Brito, Newton Narciso Pereira, Alan Cavalcanti da Cunha
Summary: This study models and simulates the oil spills on the Lower Amazon River waterway, and evaluates the vulnerability of biological resources. The results show that it is crucial to respond to these accidents within 3-72 hours to prevent the oil plumes from spreading up to 170 km and protect the local biodiversity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Michel C. Boufadel, Tamay Ozgokmen, Scott A. Socolofsky, Vassiliki H. Kourafalou, Ruixue Liu, Kenneth Lee
Summary: The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 was the largest in US history, causing extensive damage to coastlines and significant economic losses. This review article discusses the journey of the oil from the wellhead to the spill, focusing on its behavior on the water surface and the impact of ocean currents and waves. It also explores the formation of oil-particle aggregates.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Atefeh Zendehboudi, Azam Mohammadi, Sina Dobaradaran, Gabriel E. De-la-Torre, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi, Reza Saeedi, Emran Moradpour Tayebi, Ahmad Vafaee, Amirhossein Darabi
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) in ballast water for the first time, and found high levels of MP pollution. These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources and risks of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rose Boahemaa Pinto, Linda Bogerd, Martine van der Ploeg, Kwame Duah, Remko Uijlenhoet, Tim H. M. van Emmerik
Summary: Catchment-scale plastic pollution assessments provide insights into the sources, sinks, and pathways of plastic pollution. We propose an approach to quantify macroplastic transport and density in the Odaw catchment, Ghana, and find that the urban riverine zone has the highest transport, while the urban tidal zone has the highest riverbank and land macroplastic density.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aliya Baidourela, Qian Sun, Gongxin Yang, Umut Halik, Zhongkai Dong, Kaixu Cai, Guili Sun, Wenya Zhang, Sisi Cheng
Summary: The study focused on heavy metal pollution in the green vegetation of a suburban industrial area in Tuokexun County, Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the overall level of heavy metal pollution in the soil was minor, with mercury (Hg) being the most severe contamination, likely caused by human activities. The composition of heavy metal elements in trees was more stable compared to grass and shrubs, with varying concentrations across different vegetation. Shrubbery was found to be the most effective in heavy metal restoration, and there were disparities in heavy metal enrichment among different vegetation types.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James H. Bridson, Hayden Masterton, Beatrix Theobald, Regis Risani, Fraser Doake, Jessica A. Wallbank, Stefan D. M. Maday, Gavin Lear, Robert Abbel, Dawn A. Smith, Joanne M. Kingsbury, Olga Pantos, Grant L. Northcott, Sally Gaw
Summary: Plastic pollution has significant environmental impacts, largely due to chemical additives. However, the behavior of plastic additives in marine environments is not well understood. A marine deployment experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weathering on the extractables profile of four types of plastics in New Zealand over a period of nine months. The concentration of additives in polyethylene and oxo-degradable polyethylene was strongly influenced by artificial weathering, while polyamide 6 and polyethylene terephthalate showed minimal change. These findings emphasize the importance of considering leaching and weathering effects on plastic composition when assessing the potential impact and risk of plastic pollution in receiving environments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alan G. Scarlett, Francis D. Spilsbury, Steven J. Rowland, Marthe Monique Gagnon, Kliti Grice
Summary: This study used diamondoid hydrocarbon distributions to identify the sources of environmental oil contamination. A suite of 20 diamondoids was found to accumulate in fish adipose tissue. The scatter plots of indices between fish and exposure oils showed a close to ideal 1:1 relationship, which can be used to determine the origin of the oil.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Jiang, Mengmeng Wan, Kun Lin, Yanshan Chen, Rui Wang, Liju Tan, Jiangtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the concentration, composition, distribution, and sources of PCBs in surface seawater of the Bohai Bay were analyzed. The results showed that PCBs in the Bohai Bay had high concentrations and were primarily derived from land-based sources such as port activities and river inputs. The PCBs in the Bohai Bay may come from commercial PCBs and their incineration products, municipal landfills, wood and coal combustion, and industrial activities, etc.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Icaro S. A. Porto, Saulo V. A. Dantas, Caio S. A. Felix, Francisco A. S. Cunha, Jailson B. de Andrade, Sergio L. C. Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the risks of mercury levels in sardines consumed by low-income population in Salvador, Brazil. The results showed that the mercury content in the sampled sardines posed no risks to human health. This study is significant as most sardines in Salvador come from Todos os Santos Bay, which has a history of mercury contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Chen, Chengyu Yuan, Guanqun Zhai, Guangcheng Chen, Heng Zhu, Jun Liu, Yong Ye
Summary: This study investigated the combined influences of species selection and site elevation on greenhouse gas fluxes from restored mangrove soils. The results suggest that Avicennia marina should be selected for mangrove restoration to minimize carbon release and reduce the influence of greenhouse gas fluxes on the global greenhouse effect.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Onyeabor, Uju Obuka
Summary: The Gulf of Guinea region in Africa is a significant area for coastal countries, playing a vital role in their economic and environmental development. This study aims to reduce marine plastic pollution in the region by utilizing legal instruments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanli Liu, Stephan Luttjohann, Alvise Vianello, Claudia Lorenz, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen
Summary: Large area attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (LAATR-FTIR) is a novel technique for detecting small microplastics, with limited accuracy for large microplastics. However, it shows promise in homogeneous matrices. The spectra quality is comparable between transmission mode and LAATR mode.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phuc T. D. Le, Andrew M. Fischer, Britta D. Hardesty, Heidi J. Auman, Chris Wilcox
Summary: This study explores the relationship between ocean currents and the accumulation of floating marine debris (FMD) and finds that higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF). FMD is primarily trapped in accumulation zones between fronts and the coastline, which have high biodiversity value.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa Sawan, Perine Doyen, Florence Viudes, Rachid Amara, Celine Mahfouz
Summary: Few studies have examined the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on microplastics discharged into the sea through rivers. Surface water samples were collected from two Lebanese rivers, with differing degrees of urbanization, during dry and wet periods. The results showed that the most industrialized river had a significantly higher abundance of microplastics compared to the less-industrialized river. There was also a correlation between particle contamination and the season at each site, with microplastic concentrations highest on the first day of the wet season. These findings highlight the importance of considering meteorological events in accurately assessing plastic pollution influx into coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine R. Shaw, Jonathan L. Whitney, Eileen M. Nalley, Madeline C. Schmidbauer, Megan J. Donahue, Jesse Black, Raquel N. Corniuk, Kellie Teague, Rachel Sandquist, Catherine Pirkle, Rachel Dacks, Max Sudnovsky, Jennifer M. Lynch
Summary: This study examines the ingestion of plastic in reef fish in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Plastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. However, further analysis revealed that these particles were actually natural materials and posed no threat to human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Revati Hardikar, C. K. Haridevi, Shantaj Deshbhratar
Summary: This study investigated the variability in phytoplankton functional structure using a trait-based approach and explored the relationship between species traits and environmental factors, as well as their impact on ecosystem functioning. The results revealed that morphological traits, temperature, and ammonia played a decisive role in the seasonal succession of phytoplankton species. It was found that certain traits favored higher biomass production but might hinder energy transfer efficiency. The strong correlation between environmental variables and phytoplankton functional structure supports the practical implementation of a trait-based approach in studying phytoplankton community dynamics under different environmental conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Engki A. Kisnarti, Nining Sari Ningsih, Mutiara R. Putri, Nani Hendiarti, Bernhard Mayer
Summary: This study examines the movement patterns of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, revealing that Indonesia contributes significantly to transboundary marine debris in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. Most of the debris remains in Indonesian waters and moves back and forth due to the influence of monsoon currents.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)