TY - JOUR
T1 - Coastline in-situ burning of oil spills, analysis of a Greenland field experiment
AU - Fritt-Rasmussen, Janne
AU - Wegeberg, Susse
AU - Lassen, Pia
AU - Wilms, Lonnie Bogø
AU - Renvald, Lars
AU - Larsen, Morten Birch
AU - Geertz-Hansen, Ole
AU - Wiktor, Józef
AU - Gustavson, Kim
PY - 2023/1/5
Y1 - 2023/1/5
N2 - In-situ burning is a well-proven technology for combatting oil spills offshore. However, as a coastline oil spill response at rocky shores it is novel and investigated here for the first time. The viability and efficiency of coastline in-situ burning of oil spills and the fate of the resulting burn residue was studied through a field experiment. The experiment included a controlled release of 600 L crude oil and subsequent burn of the oil on a remote coast in Greenland. In line with other documented large-scale offshore burns, a high burn efficiency was estimated. Fate studies and chemical analysis of the burn residue diversely caught in the tidal seaweed vegetation showed varying compositions depending on the specific burn intensity. In general, however, a relative increase in high ring numbered PAHs was observed compared to fresh oil. After 4 days, waves and tidal flushing markedly reduced visible oil and burn residue from the burn area. Elevated concentrations of total hydrocarbons were found from the fresh oil in the seawater, but the impacts on the coastal water was below levels of ecotoxic concern. Overall, coastline in-situ burning proved efficient, with a high operational potential. In addition, when the oil is in place at the coast, with a possible increased operational time window compared to an offshore burn.
AB - In-situ burning is a well-proven technology for combatting oil spills offshore. However, as a coastline oil spill response at rocky shores it is novel and investigated here for the first time. The viability and efficiency of coastline in-situ burning of oil spills and the fate of the resulting burn residue was studied through a field experiment. The experiment included a controlled release of 600 L crude oil and subsequent burn of the oil on a remote coast in Greenland. In line with other documented large-scale offshore burns, a high burn efficiency was estimated. Fate studies and chemical analysis of the burn residue diversely caught in the tidal seaweed vegetation showed varying compositions depending on the specific burn intensity. In general, however, a relative increase in high ring numbered PAHs was observed compared to fresh oil. After 4 days, waves and tidal flushing markedly reduced visible oil and burn residue from the burn area. Elevated concentrations of total hydrocarbons were found from the fresh oil in the seawater, but the impacts on the coastal water was below levels of ecotoxic concern. Overall, coastline in-situ burning proved efficient, with a high operational potential. In addition, when the oil is in place at the coast, with a possible increased operational time window compared to an offshore burn.
KW - Coastline
KW - Environment
KW - In-situ burning
KW - Oil spill response
KW - Residue
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138570317&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129976
DO - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129976
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85138570317
SN - 0304-3894
VL - 441
JO - Journal of Hazardous Materials
JF - Journal of Hazardous Materials
M1 - 129976
ER -