Article
Environmental Sciences
Jukka-Pekka Jalkanen, Lasse Johansson, Mathias H. Andersson, Elisa Majamaki, Peter Sigray
Summary: This paper reports on trends in underwater noise emissions from global shipping, based on individual ship modeling. The research predicts a doubling of noise emissions every 11.5 years, with significant regional differences. Containerships, dry bulk, and liquid tanker vessels contribute the most to underwater noise, accounting for 75% of the total energy emitted. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary reduction in global shipping noise emissions, particularly in specific regions, but it is expected that the increasing trend will continue as the global economy recovers.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Recuero Virto, Herve Dumez, Carlos Romero, Denis Bailly
Summary: The study found that port actions could support reductions in underwater noise emissions from commercial shipping through changes in design and operational measures, proposing compromise solutions for a wide range of stakeholders. Cooperation between ports, environmental indexes, and integration with other ports' actions could help scale up these efforts.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Oceanography
Nathan D. Merchant, Rosalyn L. Putland, Michel Andre, Eric Baudin, Mario Felli, Hans Slabbekoorn, Rene Dekeling
Summary: Underwater noise from human activities is recognized as a threat to marine life. The European Union has implemented legislation to address this issue and stimulate research efforts. Studies have shown adverse effects of noise on individual animals at different levels. However, defining "Good Environmental Status" for underwater noise requires additional research and alternative approaches. Measures to reduce noise levels have been limited, but there is a growing need to develop and implement quieting measures.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Julia Micallef Filletti, Adam Gauci, Alan Deidun, Giorgio Riccobene, Salvatore Viola
Summary: This study conducted a preliminary investigation into underwater noise pollution in Maltese waters, focusing on two heavily marine-traffic areas. Digital signal processing software packages were used to extract and analyze sound pressure levels from in situ recorded audio files, followed by statistical analysis to evaluate the baseline marine soundscapes at both locations. In addition, AIS data was used to tentatively identify identifiable sources of underwater noise pollution.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kelsie A. Murchy, Svein Vagle, Francis Juanes
Summary: In recent decades, the increase in shipping traffic has led to higher underwater ambient noise levels. While research has been conducted on the noise generated by ships underway, little is known about potential noise from ships at anchor. This study focused on Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, and found that when a carrier was anchored, sound pressure levels in the bay increased, demonstrating the impact anchored carriers can have on underwater soundscapes and the potential consequences for marine organisms and ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Myriam Lajaunie, Benjamin Ollivier, Laura Ceyrac, David Dellong, Florent Le Courtois
Summary: This study investigates the impact of speed limitation on shipping noise levels in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The results show that speed reduction can redistribute noise sources over time and have some effect on reducing noise. The study also identifies longer navigation time and deep-water propagation as important factors affecting the effectiveness and stability of the speed limitation measure.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Benjamin Ollivier, Pierre Shute, G. Bazile Kinda
Summary: The description of underwater soundscape is crucial for understanding the marine environment and acoustic activities. Efficient algorithms are needed to process the large volume of sound data. The theory of cyclostationarity is applied in the field of underwater acoustics to reveal hidden periodicities in signals.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Emma Verling, Ramon Miralles Ricos, Manuel Bou-Cabo, Guillermo Lara, Maria Garagouni, Jean-Marc Brignon, Tim O'Higgins
Summary: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to achieve Good Environmental Status in European waters, presenting challenges to Member States in monitoring a suite of poorly understood descriptors. To address this burden, a risk-based approach has been standardized for assessment and monitoring, applied to two spatial scales for continuous underwater noise risks. The approach demonstrates its adaptability and usefulness despite data gaps and limitations in understanding, with recommendations for improving data availability and accessibility to increase confidence in outputs.
Review
Environmental Studies
Sofia Bosi, Emiliano Ramieri, Marta Picciulin, Stefano Menegon, Michol Ghezzo, Antonio Petrizzo, Thomas Folegot, Fantina Madricardo, Andrea Barbanti
Summary: Sound is important for marine life, but anthropogenic noise in the ocean has negative impacts on marine organisms. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a useful approach to manage noise-producing human activities in the marine environment. This paper explores the role of MSP in addressing underwater noise across 11 European countries and proposes a vision for synergies between MSP and underwater noise.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Carina Juretzek, Andreas Mueller, Ramona Eigenmann, Junio Fabrizio Borsani, Peter Sigray
Summary: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) has played a significant role in advancing the monitoring and assessment of impulsive underwater noise in the European Union's marine environment. One important outcome of MSFD implementation is the development of regional noise registries that provide crucial data for assessments. Recent efforts by the EU have resulted in the proposal of harmonized assessment approaches and regional thresholds for impulsive underwater noise. This study analyzes the suitability of the data in the noise registries for MSFD assessments, examines sources of uncertainty in quantitative results, and presents regional case studies to evaluate data availability, quality, accuracy, and their impact on the interpretation of noise impact on habitat areas.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Francisco Javier Rodrigo, Jaime Ramis, Jesus Carbajo, Pedro Poveda
Summary: Anthropogenic noise poses a growing threat to marine life, and monitoring and controlling underwater noise pollution has become increasingly important. This research presents the results of a three-year long-term monitoring campaign in the port of Cartagena, Spain, analyzing the monthly and annual variation patterns of low-frequency continuous noise. The study provides accurate acoustic values to establish threshold levels and offers recommendations for monitoring programs and regulations to control underwater noise pollution.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heather Breeze, Veronique Nolet, Dugald Thomson, Andrew J. Wright, Emmaline Marotte, Michelle Sanders
Summary: This article provides an overview of recent efforts in Canada to understand and reduce anthropogenic underwater noise, including programs to study noise in whale habitats, workshops on quiet ship design, and collaborative research on noise levels in specific regions. The Government of Canada is also developing a national Ocean Noise Strategy to coordinate and advance these efforts.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Rodrigo F. Javier, Ramis Jaime, Poveda Pedro, Carbajo Jesus, Segovia Enrique
Summary: Shipping traffic is identified as the primary anthropogenic noise source in the marine environment. The increase in human activity at sea has led to an increase in underwater acoustic pollution, posing a threat to marine habitats. The understanding and control of ships as acoustic sources is crucial in managing maritime areas to mitigate noise impact on marine fauna.
Article
Oceanography
Li Xiukun, Jia Hongjian, Dong Jianwei, Qin Jixing
Summary: Passive target detection through shipping-radiated noise is an important technology in underwater operations. This study proposes a method that utilizes the spectral line component of shipping-radiated noise for the classification of different targets based on underwater channels. The simulation and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.
JOURNAL OF OCEAN UNIVERSITY OF CHINA
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
G. V. V. Pavan Kumar, V. V. S. Prasad, U. S. Ramesh
Summary: Shipping traffic is identified as the major contributor to elevated ocean noise levels, which poses a threat to marine species communication. Continuous monitoring and research are important in understanding and mitigating the impact of shipping traffic on marine life.
JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
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)