scholarly journals Review of petroleum toxicity and identifying common endpoints for future research on diluted bitumen toxicity in marine mammals

Ecotoxicology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Ruberg ◽  
J. E. Elliott ◽  
T. D. Williams

AbstractLarge volumes of conventional crude oil continue to be shipped by sea from production to consumption areas across the globe. In addition, unconventional petroleum products also transverse pelagic habitats; for example, diluted bitumen from Canada’s oilsands which is shipped along the Pacific coast to the United States and Asia. Therefore, there is a continuing need to assess the toxicological consequences of chronic and catastrophic petroleum spillage on marine wildlife. Peer-reviewed literature on the toxicity of unconventional petroleum such as diluted bitumen exists for teleost fish, but not for fauna such as marine mammals. In order to inform research needs for unconventional petroleum toxicity we conducted a comprehensive literature review of conventional petroleum toxicity on marine mammals. The common endpoints observed in conventional crude oil exposures and oil spills include hematological injury, modulation of immune function and organ weight, genotoxicity, eye irritation, neurotoxicity, lung disease, adrenal dysfunction, metabolic and clinical abnormalities related to oiling of the pelage, behavioural impacts, decreased reproductive success, mortality, and population-level declines. Based on our findings and the body of literature we accessed, our recommendations for future research include: 1) improved baseline data on PAH and metals exposure in marine mammals, 2) improved pre- and post-spill data on marine mammal populations, 3) the use of surrogate mammalian models for petroleum toxicity testing, and 4) the need for empirical data on the toxicity of unconventional petroleum to marine mammals.

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard W. Dunford ◽  
Miranda L. Freeman

ABSTRACT This paper presents a statistical model using multiple-regression analysis that explains variations in past natural resource damage (NRD) settlements (excluding assessment costs) for oil spills in the United States based on a variety of factors, such as the amount of oil spilled, the type of oil spilled, and the geographic location of the spill. The results of this statistical model indicate that, other things being equal, NRD settlements are higher for larger oil spills, spills in California, spills that occur in the winter months (December, January, and February), and when endangered species are injured. Alternatively, other things being equal, NRD settlements are lower for spills of light crude oil than for other types of petroleum products (mainly heavy crude oil), and spills with unvalued compensatory restoration projects. In this paper, the authors use their statistical model to predict a point estimate and range for the NRD settlement for two hypothetical oil spills. This demonstrates that their statistical model could be used to predict the NRD settlement for future oil spills within a few weeks of occurring, which could significantly shorten the time required to reach a settlement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
RIRYN NOVIANTY ◽  
ANNISA HIDAYAH ◽  
SARYONO SARYONO ◽  
AMIR AWALUDDIN ◽  
NOVA WAHYU PRATIWI ◽  
...  

Abstract. Novianty R, Saryono, Awaluddin A, Pratiwi NW, Hidayah A, Juliantari E. 2021. The diversity of fungi consortium isolated from polluted soil for degrading petroleum hydrocarbon. Biodiversitas 22: 5077-5084. One of the major problems in the petroleum industry nowadays is crude oil spills. Riau Province, Sumatra is one of the largest oil producers in Indonesia. Accidental releases of petroleum products are of particular concern to the environment. The process of drilling and refining petroleum generates a large amount of oil sludge. One of the effective technologies used in the waste degradation process is bioremediation using certain microorganisms. The prime objective of the current research was to evaluate the efficiency of fungi consortiums in crude oil degradation in Bumi Siak Pusako-Pertamina Hulu, Indonesia. There are three potential fungi isolates as petroleum hydrocarbon degradation agents with four consortium variations. The parameter values of Optical Density (OD), pH, and diluted CO2 were measured on 0, 4, 8, and 16 days. To evaluate the fungal biodegradation activity using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The result showed that consortium II (KF II) has the highest potential to degrade petroleum hydrocarbon (50.61%). The visual GC-MS examination confirmed a decrease in the peak area for eight hydrocarbon compounds, indicating the efficiency of the fungi in the oil decomposition and dismantling of hydrocarbons. Our findings may provide new information on native fungal resources from chronically contaminated terrestrial environments, and will be useful for petroleum-contaminated bioremediation and other industrial applications.  


Author(s):  
David J Ulbrich

The introduction to this anthology connects a diverse collection of essays that examine the 1940s as the critical decade in the United States’ ascendance in the Pacific Rim. Following the end of World War II, the United States assumed the hegemonic role in the region when Japan’s defeat created military and political vacuums in the region. It is in this context that this anthology stands not only as a précis of current scholarship but also as a prospectus for future research. The contributors’ chapters eschew the traditional focus on military operations that has dominated the historiography of 1940s in the Pacific Basin and East Asia. Instead, the contributors venture into areas of race, gender, technology, culture, media, diplomacy, and institutions, all of which add nuance and clarity to the existing literature of World War II and the early Cold War.


2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 (2) ◽  
pp. 1467-1469
Author(s):  
Stéphane Grenon ◽  
Vincent Jarry ◽  
Darcy Longpré ◽  
Kenneth Lee ◽  
Albert D. Venosa

ABSTRACT The St. Lawrence River, situated between Canada and the United States, provides a major transport route in North America for the transport of millions of tons of crude oil, condensates, and refined products each year. In addition, as one of the largest rivers in the world, it is of major ecological significance. For example, over 55,000 hectares of wetlands are found along the St. Lawrence alone. These areas provide habitat for wildlife, the nurseries for fisheries, and control coastal erosion are highly vulnerable to oil spills. Furthermore, as traditional oil spill cleanup methods may be ineffective or cause more damage, emergency responders are considering less intrusive methods such as biorestoration as operational countermeasures. A biorestoration experiment was designed to measure the effectiveness of this method in the St. Lawrence River. To conduct this experiment, 1,200 liters of crude oil were to be spilled in a controlled manner over an experimental zone of 750 m2 in a marsh area. To obtain regulatory approvals from governmental agencies, environmental groups and, more importantly, to avoid the “not in my backyard” protests from the local communities, site selection, emergency planning, contingency measures, and especially community meetings, were all necessary steps towards the acceptance of the project. This controlled spill was done in June 1998 without any incident. Sampling of the experimental site will be completed in the fall of 2000. This paper aims to provide insights on the steps needed to gain acceptance from concerned citizens for the conduct of a controlled oil spill experiment.


Author(s):  
Qibin Chen ◽  
Guilian Fan ◽  
Wei Na ◽  
Jiming Liu ◽  
Jianguo Cui ◽  
...  

In this study, we characterize the body of knowledge of groundwater remediation from 1950 to 2018 by employing scientometric techniques and CiteSpace software, based on the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) databases. The results indicate that the United States and China contributed 56.4% of the total publications and were the major powers in groundwater remediation research. In addition, the United States, Canada, and China have considerable capabilities and expertise in groundwater remediation research. Groundwater remediation research is a multidisciplinary field, covering water resources, environmental sciences and ecology, environmental sciences, and engineering, among other fields. Journals such as Environmental Science and Technology, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, and Water Research were the major sources of cited works. The research fronts of groundwater remediation were transitioning from the pump-and-treat method to permeable reactive barriers and nanoscale zero‑valent iron particles. The combination of new persulfate ion‑activation technology and nanotechnology is receiving much attention. Based on the visualized networks, the intelligence base was verified using a variety of metrics. Through landscape portrayal and developmental trajectory identification of groundwater remediation research, this study provides insight into the characteristics of, and global trends in, groundwater remediation, which will facilitate the identification of future research directions.


Author(s):  
Nicholas L. Miller

This chapter reviews the argument and evidence presented in the body of book, which provides substantial support for the proposed theories on the sources and effectiveness of US nonproliferation policy. It identifies areas for future research, such as the nonproliferation policies of other countries, the mechanisms through which nuclear domino effects occur, and the role of preventive strikes in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. It also discusses the implications of the book’s finding for theory and policy, for example the need for the United States to maintain a credible sanctions policy, continue its international engagement, and work to develop more reliable policies for instituting multilateral sanctions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammet Kesgin ◽  
Rajendran Murthy ◽  
Rick Lagiewski

PurposeThis research aims to classify and describe food festivals and examine the patterns in food festival naming and festival descriptions in online media.Design/methodology/approachThis research represents the first population-level empirical examination of food festivals in the United States using a purpose-built dataset (N = 2,626). Methodology includes text mining to examine food festival communications.FindingsFood festival size varies across local and regional spheres within the country. Food festivals employ geographical (place-, destination-based) associations in their names. Food festivals' descriptions and online communications showcase a welcoming environment predominantly emphasizing family-oriented and live entertainment experiences. Food festivals across the country show common naming patterns based on the elements of longevity, recurrence, location name, brand name, geographic scope, theme, and occasion.Originality/valueThe study makes an original contribution to the theory and practice by identifying festival forms, styles, functions, and their diversity. A population level examination of food festivals does not currently exist. Therefore, this research will serve as a foundation for scholarly work in the future and as a benchmark for evaluating current and future research.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lobao ◽  
Gregory Hooks

Sociologists have long studied subnational development across the United States focusing on state and market forces that contribute to spatial inequality and uneven development. Subnational research is central to development sociology's concern with the present neoliberal stage of capitalism and to numerous theoretical, substantive, and policy issues that revolve around poverty and prosperity within the nation. Yet the body of work faces a number of challenges. Research is fragmented and its potential for building broader development sociology overlooked. We provide a critical analysis of this research tradition focusing on its theoretical development and identifying a wave of shifts in economic structure and the state that require new engagement. Our analysis raises challenges for development sociology as a broader field of study. Profound state and market changes are unfolding within the United States but they remain under-theorized with implications for limiting progress in the field as a whole. We identify a series of questions that offer promising directions for future research.


Author(s):  
Anshita Awasthi ◽  
Akansha Srivastava

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. This paper deals with the problem of recovery of spilled crude oil. It has been observed that the separation efficiency is greater for high range of viscosity and oil water ratios. Separation efficiency data on tests of water versus diesel, crude oil, and IS0 460 gear oil will be presented for two sizes of separators. Oil spills can have disastrous consequences for society; both economically and environmentally. As a result of these consequences oil spill accidents can initiate intense media attention and political uproar. Despite substantial national and international policy improvements on preventing oil spills adopted in recent decades, large oil spills keep occurring.


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