Impacts of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) discharge waters on planktonic biological indicators
Journal article, 2023
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), operating in open-loop mode, continuously release acidic effluents (scrubber waters) to marine waters. Furthermore, scrubber waters contain high concentrations of metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and alkylated PAHs, potentially affecting the plankton in the receiving waters. Toxicity tests evidenced significant impairments in planktonic indicators after acute, early-life stage, and long-term exposures to scrubber water produced by a vessel operating with high sulphur fuel. Acute effects on bacterial bioluminescence (Aliivibrio fischeri), algal growth (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Dunaliella tertiolecta), and copepod survival (Acartia tonsa) were evident at 10 % and 20 % scrubber water, while larval development in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) showed a 50 % reduction at ∼5 % scrubber water. Conversely, larval development and reproductive success of A. tonsa were severely affected at scrubber water concentrations ≤1.1 %, indicating the risk of severe impacts on copepod populations which in turn may result in impairment of the whole food web.
Scrubber water
Copepods
Marine pollution
Open-loop scrubber
Author
Marco Picone
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Martina Russo
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Gabriele Giuseppe Distefano
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Marco Baccichet
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Davide Marchetto
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Annamaria Volpi Ghirardini
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Anna Lunde Hermansson
Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Maritime Studies
M. Petrovic
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies
The Catalan Institute for Water Research
Meritxell Gros
University of Girona
The Catalan Institute for Water Research
Elisa Garcia
The Catalan Institute for Water Research
University of Girona
E. Giubilato
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
L. Calgaro
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Kerstin Magnusson
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
Maria E. Granberg
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
A. Marcomini
Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia
Marine Pollution Bulletin
0025-326X (ISSN) 1879-3363 (eISSN)
Vol. 190 114846Evaluation, control and Mitigation of the EnviRonmental impacts of shippinG Emissions (EMERGE)
European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/874990), 2020-02-01 -- 2024-01-31.
Subject Categories
Other Chemical Engineering
Water Treatment
Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114846
PubMed
36965268