Ci. e Nat., Santa Maria v.42, e21, 2020
DOI:10.5902/2179460X39233
ISSN 2179-460X
Received 25/07/19 Accepted:
15/01/20 Published:24/06/20
Environment
Carolina Faccio DemarcoI
Cassia
Brocca CaballeroII
Thays
França AfonsoIII
Ana Luiza
Bertani Dall'AgnolIV
Mateus Torres NazariV
Maurizio Silveira QuadroVI
Robson AndreazzaVII
I Doutoranda no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e
Engenharia de Materiais do Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (CDTec) da
Universidade Federal de Pelotas. carol_demarco@hotmail.com
II Doutoranda no
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Hídricos e Saneamento Ambiental do
Instituto de Pesquisas Hidráulicas da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do
Sul. cassiabrocca@gmail.com
III Bolsista CAPES
na modalidade doutorado no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Engenharia
de Materiais (UFPel).
thaysafonso@hotmail.com
IV Bolsista FAPERGS na modalidade mestrado no Programa de
Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais (PPGCAmb) pela Universidade Federal de
Pelotas.
analu_bda@yahoo.com.br
V Universidade de Passo Fundo - Mestrando no
Programa Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil e Ambiental nazari.eas@gmail.com |
VI Universidade Federal de Pelotas -
Professor no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais mausq@hotmail.com
VII Universidade
Federal de Pelotas- Professor no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e
Engenharia de Materiais e Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais
robsonandreazza@yahoo.com.br
ABSTRACT
Oil spills can threaten the environmental quality of
coastal ecosystems. The environmental impact of accidents of this type is
significant and it is important to understand them in order to assess the
magnitude of such accidents. In this way, the present work aimed to discuss
some of the main environmental impacts that can be caused by accidents of oil
spill in marine and terrestrial environments, besides presenting a review of
cleaning processes for the recovery of these degraded areas. In addition, this
study aimed to elaborate a Program for the Recovery of Degraded Areas (PRAD) aiming
a work plan for a case study: oil leakage in the coastal region of the
municipality of Tramandaí (RS). Thus, a description of the study area was carried
out aiming the correct elaboration of a work plan for the recovery of the area.
The plan was based on preliminary assessment, containment and removal of oil in
the aquatic environment, cleaning of the coastal environment, waste management,
destination of the recovered area, along with schedule and budgets. The
information presented in this paper serves as a support for the elaboration of
recovery programs for areas degraded by oil accidents.
Keywords: Oil accident. Environmental pollution. Remediation.
Protection.
RESUMO
Derramamentos
de óleo podem ameaçar a qualidade ambiental dos ecossistemas costeiros. O
impacto ambiental de acidentes desse tipo é significativo e é importante
entendê-los para avaliar a magnitude desses acidentes. Dessa forma, o presente
trabalho teve como objetivo discutir alguns dos principais impactos ambientais
que podem ser causados por acidentes de derramamento de óleo em ambientes
marinho e terrestre, além de apresentar uma revisão dos processos de limpeza
para a recuperação dessas áreas degradadas. Além disso, este estudo teve como
objetivo elaborar um Programa de Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas (PRAD),
visando um plano de trabalho para um estudo de caso: vazamento de óleo na
região costeira do município de Tramandaí (RS). Assim, foi realizada uma
descrição da área de estudo visando a correta elaboração de um plano de trabalho
para a recuperação da área. O plano baseou-se na avaliação preliminar,
contenção e remoção de óleo no ambiente aquático, limpeza do ambiente costeiro,
gerenciamento de resíduos, destino da área recuperada, juntamente com
cronograma e orçamentos. As informações apresentadas neste artigo servem de
apoio à elaboração de programas de recuperação de áreas degradadas por
acidentes com petróleo.
Palavras-chave:
Acidente
de petróleo; Poluição ambiental; Remediação; Proteção
1 INTRODUCTION
Petroleum is an organic compound, formed by
biogeochemical processes, consisting mostly of a complex mixture of
hydrocarbons. The problem of contamination by oil and its derivatives is of
great concern today, and in this way, several remediation techniques have been
studied (WETLER-TONINI et
al., 2010).
The oil has characteristics like oiliness,
flammability, density lower than water and color variation between black and
dark brown, and has a characteristic odor. Its composition presents variations
directly related to the geographical location and the physical, chemical and
biological conditions of origin (VAN HAMME et al.,
2003).
The scenario of the oil exploration on the coast and
the Brazilian continental shelf is in a moment of accelerated expansion, being
the handling of equipment of extraction and transport of oil of offshore and
coastal facilities causes a demand for instruments of planning, prevention and
mitigating measures (SAO, 2015). Although statistics show a decline in the
number of accidents involving oil spills at sea, they continue to occur, and
most often threaten the environmental quality of coastal ecosystems such as
beaches, rocky shores and mangroves, among others (LOPES et al., 2007).
The effects of an oil spill on coastal and marine
environments are determined by the interaction of several factors, such as the
chemical composition of the oil and spilled quantity, meteorological and
oceanographic conditions, geographic location and dimensions of the affected
area. The impact must also be assessed from different points of view, and the
environment must be constantly monitored after contamination (BRASIL, 2001).
These changes have important consequences for ecosystems through their impact
on soil and water quality, biodiversity and global climate systems (CHENG; LEI,
2001).
In this context, the present work aimed to carry out a
survey and to discuss some of the main environmental impacts that can be caused
by accidents in which oil spills occur in marine and terrestrial environments.
In addition, it is aimed to make a review of cleaning processes to recover
these degraded areas, serving as a subsidy for the elaboration of recovery
programs for areas degraded by oil spills.
Then, through a case study, a situation of a real
accident was used to propose a Program of Recovery of Degraded Areas (PRAD)
with the aim of recovering the area affected by the incident. The case study
chosen was the oil spill that occur in 2012 in the coastal region of the
municipality of Tramandaí (RS), north coast of Rio Grande do
Sul, Brazil.
2 MATERIAL AND
METHODS
2.1 Description of
the study area
Tramandaí municipality is located on the North Coast of the
State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with a stretch of beach of 12 km and a
total area of 143.57 km². It is located in the longitude 50º07'50 "W and
in the latitude 29º56'30" S and its altitude is of 1.80 m. The regional
climate is controlled by tropical air masses. The temperature ranges from
22-35ºC in the summer season and between 3-18ºC in winter.
The Tramandaí River establishes a communication between the lagoon and
the sea. The lagoons of Armazém and Tramandaí form the estuary of Tramandaí.
The Tramandaí Lagoon has sandy beaches (to the south), flooded areas (eastern
margin) and restinga vegetation (to the southwest).
The topography is plain with dunes near the sea shore, saltwater
lagoons, fresh or brackish, with streams and channels and high
water table (TRAMANDAÍ, 2015).
2.2 Environmental Impacts and
Remediation Techniques
A literature search was carried out in order to raise some of the main
impacts caused by episodes of oil spill, considering the importance and
magnitude of accidents of this type. In addition, it was presented some
cleaning techniques for affected environments, both terrestrial and aquatic.
2.3
Case Study
The methodology of the study case was based on the characterization of
the problem and preparation of a work plan proposal for a Degraded Areas
Recovery Program. The following steps were taken (Table 1):
Table 1 – Aspects to be included in the work plan proposal
|
Description |
Preliminary assessment |
Based on the identification of the source of
degradation; description of the accident; description of the type and
characteristics of the spilled product; public agencies activated or present
on site; Identification of the informant as well as the resources needed for
the recovery of the area. |
Containment and removal in the aquatic environment |
Presenting the most appropriate methods for
containment and removal, as well as the resources required to carry out this
step. |
Clean coastal environments |
Description of the methodology proposed to solve the
problem; manual or automatic cleaning. |
Waste management |
Description of classification, packaging, sorting,
segregation, identification and weighing, storage, transportation and final
destination. |
Treatment and disposal of waste |
Describe the most suitable
technique for the study case. |
Final destination of the reclaimed area |
Describe the better alternative
for the area use. |
Timetable and budgets |
Time and economic efficient alternatives. |
3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1
Environmental impacts
3.1.1 Biological
The impacts of an oil spill on the marine environment will depend of a
variety of parameters, such as the oil type, the volume that was spilled, the
ecosystem that was reached and also the environmental conditions that were in
place at the moment of the spill, such as wind speed and direction, currents
and tides. Therefore, it can be state that each spill will
produce a different type of impact depending on those circumstances
(LEE et al., 2015).
Considering the considerable quantity of leaked oil, the impacts on
water quality and in the aquatic ecosystem are of great magnitude (LEE et al., 2015). Toxic and physical
effects provoked by the oil spill on the biota, and its resistance to them, may
vary and depends mostly of the involved species and which way they were reached
(LOUVADO et al., 2019). The firsts
and direct effects of the oil spill emerge from the contact of the organisms
with the oil, varying with the type of organism. Given these points, for the
fauna, the oil will act on its epithelial surface, inhibiting the respiratory
processes which can induce suffocation. Moreover, suspended oil is highly toxic
to larvae and fish eggs (DALY et al.,
2016).
Usually, younger species are susceptible to impacts than adult forms;
therefore, these more sensitive species may be exterminated (DALY et al., 2016). Even if not killed
immediately by the spill, the long-term toxicity affects marine life, making it
unsuitable for human consumption. Oil can interfere with vital reproduction
processes even at low concentrations. Changing the reproductive cycle affects
the whole food chain, consequently causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem (DALY
et al., 2016). In seabirds, even
small oil stains create several problems, such as loss of waterproofing of the
plumage area, damaging its thermal insulation and buoyancy (TROISI et al., 2016).
3.1.2 Socioeconomic
An oil spill can have significant consequences for the socio-economic
activities carried out in the region in which they occur, among which tourism
can be highlighted. The spilled oil may have negative consequences for tourism
and trade in the region hit by the incident. Newspaper articles and images
about water contamination can be widely publicized in the media. Thus, the
accident, as well as oil combat and cleaning operations, impacts directly in
the tourism. Another important negative
impact is the loss of many different jobs in the area, along with payment and
compensation issues, affecting directly the local community, as reported by Albert,
Amaratunga and Haigh, (2018).
3.2
Cleaning techniques
There are a significative number of techniques to clean an environment
affected by an oil spill. In one way, some methods are efficient in removing
the oil from the environment, restoring the affected areas and, in this way,
satisfying the socioeconomic demands. However, in some cases these methods may
be more harmful than the oil action itself (LOPES et al., 2007). A cleaning procedure is considered efficient when it
allows the removal of the contaminant with the least possible additional
effects to the affected ecosystem, as well as cooperates to the recovery of the
environment as fast as it is possible. Cleaning techniques should be evaluated
on a case-by-case basis, since each oil spill has particular characteristics
and demands to consider. Zhang et al.
(2019) stated that several methods are being investigated in order to remediate
areas affected by oil spills, including chemical methods for oil-water
separation, in situ burning and mechanical recovery.
One of the first ecosystems that is directly affected by the oil spills
in the sea is the coastal, requiring actions to minimize the effects caused by
the contamination. The determination of the cleaning techniques that best apply
to the given environment must be defined before the accident occurs (LOPES et al., 2007). Another important aspect
to consider is the concept of “sacrifice zones” and “priority areas of
protection” (LOPES et al., 2007). It
is important to identify areas of protection and immediate intervention
immediately after the accident, in order to avoid the arrival of oil in more
sensitive environments. The priority is the containment and the removal in sea
that prevents the coast of the contamination and necessity of cleaning.
To provide an efficient response to oil containment and removal actions
it is requested: (i) fastness activation of the teams
and triggering the necessary actions; (ii) availability of equipment and
resources that are appropriate in quantity and type to be able attend the
particularity of the accidental scenario; and (iii) the availability of trained
staff (MILANELLI, 1994).
3.2.1 Cleaning of aquatic environments
Crude oil, and its various by-products, have a high potential for
environmental contamination. Physical and chemical characteristics of the oil
determine its behaviour in the environment and its effects on the health and
safety of the environment, as well as of human and fauna and flora (DALY et al., 2016).
The understanding of these characteristics is important to the
decision-making during emergencies, such as accidents. This knowledge is
essential when choosing the procedures and equipment that are compatible with
the type of oil spilled and have to be used in an accident.
Characteristics that should observed are related to the density,
persistence, viscosity, solubility and surface tension of the oil (LOPES et al., 2007). The solubility of
petroleum in water is classified as extremely low, since only a small part of
the soluble hydrocarbons and the various mineral salts present in the oil
dissolve in the aquatic environment (POFFO 2000). Another important
characteristic is the density of the oil, to determine it, is adopted the API
(American Petroleum Institute) grade unit. It is the density that will
determine if an oil tends to sink or float in the water column after a leak
(IBAMA, 2012).
Some processes may occur with the contact from the oil and the sea
water, some of them are (LOPES et al.,
2007):
Natural dispersion: starts in the first hour from the accident, and
occurs more intensely in the next 48 hours and can last up to one month.
Consists in the fragmentation of the oil slick into droplets, mainly due to the
agitation of the sea, wind and waves. It can be chemically accelerated by the
application of dispersants, or by mechanical action;
Spread: is more intense within the first 24 hours and lasts for more
than a week. The oil spill spreads horizontally from the source of the leak on
the surface of the water. It can be influenced by the action of winds, tides,
waves and currents, the volume and type of oil leaked and the responsiveness
also influence this process, moving to distant areas of origin, reaching
sensitive areas;
Dissolution: more intense in the first hour and can last up to 24 hours.
Aromatic hydrocarbons and other compounds of the oil can dissolve by the action
of waves and currents and pass to the water column;
Emulsification: occurs most intensely within the first ten hours after the
spill and the first seven days, and can last for up to one year. Consists of
the water molecules incorporating hydrocarbon molecules forming a water-oil
emulsion;
Evaporation: considering the oil stain on the surface, the aromatic
compounds of the hydrocarbons (the most toxic) pass into the atmosphere under
direct interference with the ambient temperature and solar radiation;
Oxidation or photo-oxidation: process that starts in the first hour and
can last up to a month. The incidence of ultraviolet light on the oil stain
increases the presence of oxygen in its components. The compounds formed in
this reaction become more toxic and soluble in water and move from the surface
to the water column;
Sedimentation: a process that occurs most intensely from 24 hours to a
month after the leak and can last for several years. Heavier components of the
oil that do not dissolve in the water adhere to small inorganic particles and
floating solids (debris, branches and debris) and sediment to the bottom of the
ocean.
Cleaning methods for the water can be: (i) The
removal of oil from the surface of the water using specific materials and/or
equipment such as containment barriers, skimmers, absorbents, among others; or
(ii) the transfer of the oil stains to the water column by the chemical
dispersion of the product (LOPES et al.,
2007). In addition, naturally occurring weathering processes can be understood
as factors that help the removal of oil from the marine environment. Some of these methods are described below:
Natural cleaning: efficient in oceanic waters due to the fact that the
oil is exposed to natural degradation processes (dispersion, dissolution,
evaporation, biodegradation and photooxidation). It is not indicated to be
applied in sheltered coastal waters and shallow non-intervention, since the
risk of the oil reaching coastal areas such as beaches, shores and mangroves
are high, and the impact would be significantly higher;
Barriers and collectors (containment and removal): This equipment is
responsible for containing the oil stain, in order not to allow the stain to
disperse and accumulate the oil in a certain region to facilitate the work of
the collector. There are several types and models of barriers and skimmer,
which must be suitable for each type of scenario. This approach is
characterized as a passive method for restrain the spread of oil, as reported
by Bhardwaj and Bhaskarwar
(2018).
Absorbent barriers: useful in the containment and especially in the
collection of fainter spots (silver or iridescent) located in channels, bays
and coves where conventional barriers would be inefficient. It is also possible
to arrange in a combined manner the absorbent barriers coupled to containment
barriers, ensuring the confinement and absorption of the stains;
Pompons: are absorbent formed of polypropylene fibers, which have a high
rate of absorption (twenty to sixty times their own weight). They can be
connected to cables, acquiring a linear conformation, or being used
individually.
Chemical dispersants: chemical formulations of organic nature intended
to reduce the surface tension between oil and water, contributing to the oil
dispersion into droplets that are suspended in the aqueous medium.
Consequently, the process of biodegradation promoted by organisms naturally present
in water is favoured. They accelerate the process of dispersion and natural
degradation of the oil, since the stains are broken in small particles with
greater relation area/ volume, in a water column of several meters of depth,
being able to be more easily degraded by microorganisms. The application of
chemical dispersants is conditioned to the consent of the competent
environmental agency and must comply with the Brazilian CONAMA Resolution No.
269 of September 14th, 2000.
Granular absorbents: useful for collecting less significant amounts. May
cause additional damages when used in large quantities in restricted
environments and are not collected after the remediation, especially if they
are synthetic in nature (low rate of degradability). It is preferable to use
natural organic products such as peat, which have high efficiency and are
biodegradable. In the literature, the absorbents are mentioned to exist in many
forms and it is highly recommended the use of specific devices to enclose de
product and avoid the dispersion, as reported by Bhardwaj and Bhaskarwar
(2018).
Cleaning of terrestrial environments
When an oil spill occurs at sea, its consequences do occur only on the
aquatic surface, petrochemical residues are often transported by the tides to
the beaches, which can be classified basically by two types: thin sand and
coarser sand, according to their characteristics.
Beaches of coarse sand usually have larger slopes, berm presence and
flat supralittoral terrace, usually have a relatively heterogeneous and
unstable profile. The granulometry often differs along the beach profile, with
thinner sediments in the forefoot. The granulometric characteristics can also
vary throughout the year, as a reflection of the dynamics of the
constructive/destructive cycle. At these beaches the degree of sediment
compaction is very low, making it unstable and preventing the development of a
rich biological community, especially under conditions of intense hydrodynamism
(waves). Intertidal zone colonized mainly by crustaceans and molluscs. In this
type of sand oil penetration can exceed 25 cm deep in the sediment, making the
residence time higher. The degree of penetration also depends on the
characteristics of the oil. The loose sediment of these beaches makes it difficult
to operationally clean and remove the oil.
Regarding the fine sand beaches, the sediment is more stable and
compact, with smaller interstitial space and greater capacity of accumulation
of organic matter associated to finer particles. In these environments, the
biota is considerably rich, complex, and sensitive to oil, represented by both
the epifauna and the infauna/endofauna. Most of the biota is concentrated in
the surface layer of the sediment. One route of oil penetration into the
sediment is tubes and galleries created by organisms such as molluscs,
crustaceans and polychaetes.
The methods for beach cleaning available are: absorption, manual
removal, vacuum pumping, mechanical removal, induced biodegradation, chemical
dispersion, burning, natural cleaning and blasting. Considering the work of
Gundlauch e Hayes (1978) and NOAA (2000) cleaning should focus on manually
removing oil from the middle and supralittoral; in this way, the amount of sand
removed is smaller, and should be minimal on sandy beaches. Low pressure
blasting can be used to direct and accumulate oil to be collected by skimmers
and absorbents.
High pressure sandblasting should be avoided as it can transport
contaminated material to other locations, cause mechanical impact on wildlife,
dislodge fauna and remove sediment (CETESB, 2015). Natural cleaning is
plausible for exposed beaches where the action of the waves is enough to remove
the oil (IPIECA, 2004). It is also recommended for sheltered beaches where
other procedures may cause additional damage to the environment. When natural
cleaning is not appropriate (for example, area with poor hydrodynamics, biota
or major socioeconomic resources under threat), other options may be
considered: low pressure blasting for firm sediments with low slope; manual and
mechanical removal; absorbents; vacuum pumping; bioremediation.
Other methods for treatment of contaminated sand are: sand washing;
coprocessing; and landfill processes. The sand washing can have its efficiency
improved significantly, through the use of surfactants, used to break the
surface tension of the oil, making it to be in solution in the colloidal form.
This technique can be applied either on site (in situ) or in reactors. In situ
form is less used because it introduces another contaminant in the environment,
and also has difficulties in establishing safe operating conditions.
Applying this technique in reactors to clean the sand removed from the
contaminated beaches has presented satisfactory results in tests performed in
the attendance to some occurrences. In these tests, the residue was mixed with
a solution containing 0.5% surfactant and then stirred. One type of reactor can
be a concrete mixer, for instance. The
technique minimizes pollution and, in some cases, has achieved more than 90%
oil removal. It also has de bonus of allowing the control of the full process.
Nonetheless, has the disadvantage of generating an effluent that will
require additional treatment,
preferably in specially designed treatment plants (CETESB, 2015).
The coprocessing method is the use of a waste from an industrial process
in order to substitute one of the raw materials of the process or to allow the
reduction of the fuel consumption of the process through the energetic use of
the waste. This technique is applicable to oily substances, sand or earth
contaminated with oil, chemical packages, resins, rubber, photographic products
among other types of waste that can be used as auxiliary fuel, having
compatible thermal input to be used as alternative fuel. Metal packaging,
household waste, glass, batteries and radioactive material cannot be
coprocessed (CETESB, 2015). It is highlighted the great importance of
recovering these areas since sand beaches serves as habitat for primary and
secondary producers, along with widely diversified fauna (BEJARANO; MICHEL,
2016).
3.3
Case study
3.3.1 Characterization
The spill incident of the Marlim Sul type oil occurred in the monoboia
MN-602, located in the coastal region of the municipality of Tramandaí (RS).
According to the initial statement by Transpetro (responsible company), the
incident occurred during the unloading operation of the ship "ELKA
ARISTOTELE" for the MN-602, where there was a rupture of the safety valve
called "breakway coupling”, installed in MN-602
floating hoses, causing oil spills into the sea (IBAMA, 2012).
The distance from the MN-602 to the beach is 6 km, and the oil spill
reached the beach area that is located between the Tramandaí Platform and the
Barra de Imbé, forming an oil spot of 1 km², equivalent to approximately 100
football fields.
The coastal region close to the accident is formed by intermediate sandy
beaches and can be classified as a region of environmental sensitivity equal to
four (ISL4), with medium permeability substrates, moderate penetration/burial
of oil, according to the specifications and Technical Standards of
Environmental Sensitivity for Oil Spills (BRASIL, 2002).
3.3.2 Work plan
Considering the incident in Tramandaí in 2012 and the characterization
of the area, the proposed actions plan for the recovery of the degraded area in
the different environments (aquatic and terrestrial) is described in Table 2.
Table 2 – Work plan for the case study
Work plan for the case study |
|
Preliminary assessment |
|
Communication of the occurrence |
Communicate to the authorities: the
Port Authority of Tramandaí Agency (AGTRAMANDAÍ),
the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuel (ANP), the
Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA)
and State Foundation for Environmental Protection Henrique Luiz Roessler - RS
(FEPAM), of the incident. |
Identification of the leakage source |
MN-602, located in the coastal region of the
municipality of Tramandaí (RS). |
Date and time of occurrence |
January 26th, 2012 around 12 a.m. |
Type and characteristics of the leaked product |
Type Marlin Sul, with oil 23.1 º API. Spilled
volume: about 1.2 million liters of oil in the sea. |
Identification of the informant |
Transpetro Company |
Necessary resources |
For the effective evaluation, it
is indispensable to use topographic and nautical charts and tide tables that
will serve to guide the aerial, maritime and terrestrial surveys in the areas
under the influence of the leak. |
Containment and removal in aquatic environment |
|
Oil containment |
Use of containment barriers that concentrate the oil
for later collection (Fig. 1). |
Oil removal |
Use of skimmers. In the case under study the
skimmers were coupled to monoboia to collect the
oil. |
Required resources |
Human resources trained to carry out containment and
removal operations, equipment and materials for containment, removal and
storage, personal protective equipment. |
Cleaning
of coastal environments |
|
Manual removal |
Manually removing the oil from the environment with
utensils such as cans, buckets, etc. (Fig 2). |
Waste Management |
|
Classification |
For waste disposal, it is necessary to characterize
and classify it, and for this purpose, samples must be collected for
analysis. |
Packaging |
The most used materials are plastic bags (Fig. 3). |
Screening |
The process of sorting the waste at the workplace
(beach). |
Segregation |
Among the residues are: contaminated solid waste
brought by the tide consisting of household waste, vegetation and dead
animals among other materials; sand slightly contaminated by oil; sand
heavily contaminated by oil; absorbent and adsorbent products impregnated
with oil; rags and cloths used in cleaning. |
Identification and weighing |
Use of pre-prepared standardized labels containing
the following data: date, name of the company responsible, name of the
emergency operation, origin: name of the beach or location from which the
waste was removed and municipality (optional), type of residue and estimated
weight. |
Storage |
The company must have an oily waste management plan
that includes the destination, ensuring the storage period does not exceed 90
days and that conditions of environmental protection and industrial safety
are guaranteed for it. |
Transport |
For the transportation of oily wastes in Brazil, it
is necessary to observe the ABNT Standard NBR 13.221 and for those classified
as hazardous, observing the Federal Decree no. 96,044 of May 5, 1988, the
CONAMA Resolution no. 001-A of January 23, 1986 and Federal Decree no. 204 of
5/20/1997. Using a truck for transportation. |
Final destination |
Use of the landfarming process. |
Figure 1 - Containment barriers. CLICRBS (2012)
Figure 2 - Manual removal of oil from sand. CLICRBS (2012)
Figure 3 - Bags used for packaging. CLICRBS (2012)
Regarding the treatment and
disposal of waste, the landfarming was the selected treatment, which is a
technique where the oily residue is incorporated into the soil under controlled
conditions to promote the degradation and immobilization of the hazardous
contaminants present. Typically, the residue is applied to the surface of an
area and mixed with the soil by conventional equipment, such as tractors
equipped with plows or crates. For the design and operation of this of
treatment, it is necessary to observe the established in the regulatory
standard of each country, which in Brazil is the norm ABNT NBR 13.894 -
Treatment in the soil (landfarming). This technique is suitable for disposing
of non-recoverable oil as impregnated absorbent materials (straw, sawdust and
peat), and water-in-oil emulsions.
Regarding the monitoring the effects of an oil spill on coastal and marine
environments are determined by the interaction of several factors, such as:
chemical composition of the oil and spilled quantity, meteorological and
oceanographic conditions, geographic location and dimensions of the affected
area. The impact must also be assessed from different points of view, and the
environment must be constantly monitored after contamination (BRASIL, 2001). These
changes have important consequences for ecosystems through their impact on soil
and water quality, biodiversity and global climate systems (CHENG; LEI, 2001). When
incidents such as the one in Tramandai occur, it is essential to carry out
frequent surveys by air, sea and land in order to guide the actions to combat
an oil spill.
The recovery actions of the degraded area aim to return, through
economically viable techniques, the environment closer to the original and, if
it is not possible, to return to the closest conditions to those existing prior
to the oil spill. Thus, in relation to the sea, considering that it is a water
resource, the purpose of the recovery is to preserve it, in order to protect
the entire marine ecosystem and consequently to preserve all the species and
habitats it depends on. The ultimate goal is to return the area to its original
uses of fishing, tourism and leisure.
In order to prepare the
schedule (Table 3), it was assumed that the company in charge had an emergency
plan for incidents of oil leakage, as required by the legislation. It was
considered hypothetically that the leak occurred on Tramandaí beach on January
26, 2012; and that this was found at 05:00 and controlled in a period of 12
hours.
Table
3 - Schedule of activities
Time |
Land operations |
Sea operations |
6
h |
Rental of trucks |
Preparation of vessels |
7
h |
Prepare of the extra workers |
Prepare of the extra workers |
8
h |
Removal of sand |
Addition of containment
barriers |
12
h |
Removal of sand |
Addition of containment
barriers |
14
h |
Removal of sand |
Removal of oil |
17
h |
Removal of sand |
Removal of oil |
18
h |
Finalization of work |
Finalization of work |
To mitigate the impact caused by the oil spill, 280 men were needed,
divided into two groups: 20 to act in the offshore leakage and 260 to act on
land in the collection of contaminated sand and corpses of animals affected by
the disaster. Each worker received a value of $ 40.00 for the work, totalling $
11,050.00 for labour. It can be highlighted that these workers were outsourced
and the methods adopted were the most efficient, fast and lowest cost.
Table 4 shows some additional expenses with individual protection
equipment. These products may change due to quantity purchased and negotiation
with suppliers. The expenses with the treatment of the material collected with
the use of landfarming must also be considered, according to Jerônimo and
Kitzinger (2014) the cost is approximately of $ 37.00 per cubic meter. In
addition, the costs of containment barriers and the vessel used to remove the
oil from the water should also be considered.
Table 4 - Budget of the material used to clean the
beach
Product |
Value ($) |
Quantity |
Total ($) |
Safety boots |
6.31 |
290 |
1830.72 |
Gloves |
7.31 |
300 |
2194.50 |
Shovels |
3.93 |
200 |
762.80 |
Truck rental |
526.07 |
08 |
4208.56 |
|
|
Total |
8996.59 |
CONCLUSION
The present work is important for understanding the dynamics of
petroleum in the environment, given its highly toxic and polluting character.
Understanding the main impacts of an oil accident is an important tool to first
seek to avoid accidents of this type and, if they occur, to know the priority
of recovery actions. In addition, a review of the main oil cleaning processes
was presented, both in the aquatic and terrestrial environments. The
information presented in this paper serves as a subsidy for the elaboration of
recovery programs for areas degraded by oil accidents.
The work carried out showed the importance of the application of the
proposed Degraded Area Recovery Plan, aiming to minimize the impacts caused by
the incident in Tramandaí (RS), with possible application in other locations.
The elaborated PRAD aimed the environmental recovery of the degraded area, so
that the biotic and abiotic resources are sufficient to continue its
development without additional subsidies and the place could return to its
previous conditions.
This study serves as a basis for future studies and application in
locations affected by oil contamination, and modifications or adaptations of
the proposed plan are necessary to better adapt to the recovery interests of
the area in question.
REFERENCES
ALBERT ON, AMARATUNGA D, HAIGH RP. Evaluation of the Impacts of Oil
Spill Disaster on Communities and Its Influence on Restiveness in Niger Delta.
Nigeria Proc Eng, 2018; 212: 1054-1061.
BEJARANO AC,
MICHEL J. Oil spills and their impacts on sand beach invertebrate
communities: A literature review Environ Pollut, 2016, 218: 709-722
BRASIL. Ministério
do Meio Ambiente (MMA). Especificações e normas técnicas para a elaboração de
carta de sensibilidade ambiental para derramamento de óleo, 2002. 107 p.
BRASIL. Ministério
do Meio Ambiente (MMA). Relatório Sobre o Impacto Ambiental Causado pelo
Derramamento de Óleo na Baía de Guanabara. Brasília, 2001. 60 p.
BHARDWAJ N,
BHASKARWAR AN. A review on sorbent devices for oil-spill control Environ Pollut, 2018,
243: 1758-1771.
CETESB. Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental. Vazamentos de óleo,
2015 [cited 2015 Nov 24]. Available from:
http://emergenciasquimicas.cetesb.sp.gov.br/tipos-de-acidentes/vazamentos-de-oleo/
CHENG KS, LEI TC. Reservoir trophic state evaluation using Landsat TM
images. J.
Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 2001; 37(5):1321–1334.
CLICRBS. Mancha de
óleo no mar invade a praia em Tramandaí, 2012 [cited 2015 Nov 24]. Available
from
http://zh.clicrbs.com.br/rs/fotos/mancha-de-oleo-no-mar-invade-a-praia-em-tramandai-30359.html
DALY K, PASSOW U, CHANTON J, HOLLANDER D. Assessing the impacts of
oil-associated marine snow formation and sedimentation during and after the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Anthropocene, 2016; 13:18-33.
GUNDLACH ER, HAYES MO. Vulnerability of coastal environments to oil
spill impacts.
J. Mar. Tec. Soc. Carolina do Sul, 1978, 12(4): 18-27.
IBAMA. Instituto
Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais
Renováveis. Laudo Técnico Ambiental n° 01/2012/MB-IBAMA-FEPAM, 2012.
IPIECA. International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association. Biological Impacts of Oil
Spill Pollution: Saltmarshes, 2004 [cited 2015 Nov 22]. Available from: http://www.amn.pt/DCPM/Documents/Saltmarshes.pdf
JERÔNIMO CEM,
KITZINGER WGCM. Dimensionamento de um landfarming para tratamento de borras
oleosas utilizando critérios de um reator batelada. Revista Eletrônica em
Gestão, Educação e Tecnologia Ambiental – REGET, 2014; 18(3):1273-1285.
LEE K, BOUFADEL M, CHEN B, FOGHT J, HODSON P, SWANSON S, VENOSA A.
Expert Panel Report on the Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil
Released into Aqueous Environments. Royal Society of Canada, Ottawa, ON, 2015.
LOPES CF, MILANELLI JCC, POFFO IRF. Ambientes costeiros contaminados por óleo:
procedimentos de limpeza – manual de orientação. São Paulo: Secretaria de Estado
do Meio Ambiente, 2007.
LOUVADO A, COELHO
FJRC, OLIVEIRA V, GOMES H, CLEARY DFR, SIMÕES MMQ, CUNHA A, GOMES NCM. Microcosm evaluation of the impact of oil
contamination and chemical dispersant addition on bacterial communities and
sediment remediation of an estuarine port environment. J. Appl. Microb. 2019;
127(1): 134-149
MILANELLI, JCC.
Efeitos do petróleo e da limpeza por jateamento em um costão rochoso da praia
de Barequeçaba, São Sebastião, São Paulo [dissertation]. São Paulo:
Oceanografia Biológica/USP; 1994.
NOAA. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Characteristic
Coastal Habitats - Choosing Spill Response Alternatives. NOAA, Seattle,
2000. 87 p.
POFFO FI.
Vazamentos de óleo no litoral norte do estado de São Paulo: análise Histórica
(1974 a 1999) [dissertation]. São Paulo: Ciência Ambiental/USP, 2000.
SAO PELOTAS. Atlas
de Sensibilidade Ambiental ao Óleo da Bacia Marítima de Pelotas, 2015 [cited
2015 Nov 23]. Available from http://www.saopelotas.furg.br/
TRAMANDAÍ. Aspectos
Geográficos, 2015 [cited 2015, nov 22]. Available from http://www.tramandai.rs.gov.br/index.php?acao=conteudo&conteudos_id=12
TROISI G, BARTON S, BEXTON S. Impacts of oil spills on seabirds:
Unsustainable impacts of non-renewable energy. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 2016,
41(37):16549-16555.
VAN HAMME JD, SINGH A, WARD OP. Recent advances in petroleum
microbiology. Microbiol.
Mol. Biol. Rev. 2003, 67(4): 503-549.
ZHANG T, LI Z, LÜ Y, LIU Y, YANG D, LI Q, QIU, F. Recent progress and
future prospects of oil-absorbing materials Chinese Journal of Chemical
Engineering, 2019, 27 (6): 1282-1295.
WETLER-TONINI RMC, REZENDE CE, GRATIVOL AD. Degradação e biorremediação de compostos
do petróleo por bactérias: revisão. Oecologia Australis 2010; 14 (4): 1010-1020.