Use of Bacteria to Clear up Oil Spills: Study

In News

Recently, Scientists confirmed that stimulating bacteria with nutrients in the cold seawaters of the Canadian Arctic can help decompose diesel and other petroleum oil after oil spills 

Key Points of study 

• The scientists recreated the oceanic atmosphere with sediments from the sea bed, artificial seawater in bottles kept at 4 degrees Celsius. They introduced diesel and crude oil into this environment to simulate an oil spill. 
• They found that bioremediation using bacteria such as Paraperlucidibaca, Cycloclasticus, Oleispira, Thalassolituus Zhongshania and some others helped remove several classes of contaminants.  

What is an Oil Spill?

• It is an accidental leakage of petroleum products either from ships or offshore industries.
• As the oil floats and spreads across the ocean, it creates multiple hazards.

Reasons for Oil leakage

• Ship Accidents: Ships carry oil as fuel and as transport goods. Their accident may cause a major oil spill as seen in Mauritius.
• Industrial Leakage: Offshore industries may also be a cause of oil spills. Often due to neglect of Safety Protocols, such incidences happen. Eg. Recent Kerala Leakage, Venezuela Leakage of 2020, etc.
• Other reasons:  Ship Ballast, Cleaning Water, Sewage discharge

Dangers of Oil Spill

• Harm to Marine Flora and Fauna: The evaporating fumes kills birds and other surface animals due to suffocation.
  • It also disturbs the food chain, light and oxygen level of ocean water and adversely affects phytoplankton, zooplankton, etc.
  • The oil gets stuck on the body surface obstructing respiration, flying capability, vision, etc.
  • Damage to coral reef ecosystem due to sinking oil to the sea bed.
  • Oil spills choke marine ecosystems and pose health hazards for coastal populations who consume seafood
• Beach Sand: It converts beach sand into dark lumps glued by an oil called Tar Balls.
  • Toxic complex compounds are also reported from beaches polluted with oil.
  • It reduces the aesthetic and touristic value of beaches
• Inhabitants: Economic loss to fishermen, Tourist Industry and other professionals.
  • Health hazard to tourists and nearby dwellers
    • It can also result in cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological effects in humans. 

• Environment: Groundwater pollution due to seeping Oil near beaches

• Chances of fire hazard.
• Ocean Water slowly turns into a toxic emulsion

Past incidences

• International Incidence in 2020: Oil leakage from the El Palito refinery in Venezuela
  • Japanese ship MV Wakashio carrying fuel oil split into two parts near Blue Bay Marine Park in south-east Mauritius.
  • Russia: Arctic (Norilsk diesel fuel spill) Oil Spill

• Indian incidents of past: Chennai 2017: Two ships collided off Kamarajar Port Limited’s (KPL) harbour and resulted in a major oil spill disaster.
  • Sundarban 2014: Oil spill in Sela River, Bangladesh created an environmental concern for India too.
  • ONGC Uran Plan leaked oil in the Arabian Sea in 2013.
  • Mumbai coast 2010: Two ships collided causing the 800 tonnes of the oil spill.

Preventive and Control measures for Oil Spills

• Stringent Norms of Safety for Ships and Tankers: An international common standard must be arrived at and implemented for the Transport and Shipping Industry.
• Proper Implementation of the existing laws.
• Extra attention while installing pipes
• National disaster mitigation plan for Oil Spills should be announced.
  • 24×7 deployment of an emergency team which can isolate the spread of oil spill as soon as possible using floating barriers called Booms.
  • Development of Standard Operating Procedures in case of mishaps.
  • Mock Drills
• Use of Science and Technology:
  • Bioremediation: It refers to the use of specific microorganisms to remove any toxic or harmful substances 
    • Bacteria are used to clean surface oil. Eg Oil Zapper by TERI.
  • Emulsifiers: Better biodegradable emulsifiers may also be used for better mitigation of problems.
  • Using Skimmers: Skimmers are machines specially designed to suck up the oil from the water surface like a vacuum cleaner. 
    • They are used to physically separate the oil from the water so that it can be collected and processed for re-use.
  • Using Oil Booms: Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours to reduce the spreading of an oil slick over the sea surface.
  • Using Sorbents: Another approach is to use various sorbents that absorb the oil from the water.
    •  Sorbents are materials that soak up liquids by either absorption (pulling in through pores) or adsorption (forming a layer on the surface).
  • Using Dispersants: Dispersal agents are chemicals that are sprayed upon the spill with the help of aircraft and boats, which aid the natural breakdown of oil components
• Burning In-situ: This method can effectively remove up to 98% of an oil spill, which is more than most of the other methods.
• Post-disaster plans should also be rolled out for the effective restoration of corals and flora-fauna.

International Efforts for curtailing Oil Pollution

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): Rolled out by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 1973

•  It recognised the need for international coherent efforts for curbing oil spill

• International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation 1990
  • Nearly 90 countries came up after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, 1989 to prepare an emergency plan under IMO.
  • Creates a special fund out of the contribution of shipping companies
• Double Hull Ruling, 1993 by IMO: As per these guidelines,
  • By July 1993, all tankers must have double hulls for additional safety.
  • All single-hulled ships must be phased out by 1995.

Indian Efforts for dealing with Oil Spill

• National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP):
  • Promulgated in 1996 and revised in 2015
  • Nodal Agency for coordination: Coastal Guards
  • Objectives:
    • Effective reporting of spillage
    • Prompt response to prevent, control and combat oil pollution
    • Adequate protection to Public Health and Welfare along with Marine Environment
    • Use of Science and Technology for preventing and managing oil spills and pollution and residuals.
• Research and Development
  • TERI has developed Oil Zapper Bacteria which can degrade the oil quickly.
• Coastal Cleanup Day under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Conclusion and Way Ahead:

• The oil spill causes irreversible damage to the environment. Hence international and national solidarity must be ensured with organisations like IMO, Coastal Guard, etc at the centre. Such joint efforts will ensure compliance with the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species and UN systems.

 It can be achieved by 

• More research and development on Ballast, Sludge and other modes of pollution.
• Budget Allocation for cleaning coasts, Deep Ocean Mission  and similar other marine dedicated portals
• Involvement and empowering local communities in disaster mitigation
• Implementing advice of agencies like the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services.
• Annual regular maintenance of industrial equipment and following the standard operation and safety procedure will lead to the most desired result of avoiding such disasters.

Source: DTE