THE CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING DISPERSANT EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING FOR A GLOBAL RESPONSE

2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
pp. 423-426
Author(s):  
Gemma Benns
Keyword(s):  
Human Error ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Effectiveness Monitoring ◽  
International Response ◽  
Dispersed Oil ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Scientific Results ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Dispersant Effectiveness

ABSTRACT Recent developments in dispersant effectiveness monitoring have led to huge benefits for the response communities. Successfully interpreting dispersant effectiveness monitoring fluorometric data in situ has managed to speed scientific results to the Incident Command in almost real time which is becoming increasingly important in the promotion of dispersant as a response tool across the globe, particularly as more and more countries look to developing legislation permitting their use. The ability to present data linking dispersed oil to chemical dispersant is a compelling method of persuasion for their utilisation. OSRL/EARL is unique in that it is the only industry owned oil spill response company with a global remit, this presents a number of challenges in respect of the practicalities of responding with dispersant monitoring capabilities. The equipment surrounding the use of the fluorometer requires flexibility and portability dependant upon the circumstance of the spills that arise. With the possibility of application of dispersant operations resting upon the ability to monitor as soon as possible after the operations commence, the challenges surrounding the logistics of operation must be overcome, If dispersant monitoring equipment is delayed in its deployment it is not reasonable to delay application given the limited window of opportunity however aerial observations alone present a margin for human error. Monitoring dispersant effectiveness with the aid of fluorometry is still only a quantitative tool, although its capabilities are well respected, there is scope for further improvement to reduce its limitations. Currently the Turner 10 AU is the predominant tool in dispersant monitoring response; its replacement with a smaller in-situ fluorometer could not only improve the means of collating the data but also reduce the equipment that is required to be transported with the monitoring team. There are presently few obstacles that would prevent new fluorometer equipment being configured with the current software set up. This paper will look at how an international response organisation has prepared for dispersant monitoring and the tools it has put in place for operational deployment. The system is operated by response personnel rather than scientists so provides a practical solution to the problem based on their experience.

REALTIME GEO-REFERENCED DETECTION OF DISPERSED OIL PLUMES

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 693-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher B. Fuller ◽  
James S. Bonner ◽  
Frank Kelly ◽  
Cheryl A. Page ◽  
Temitope Ojo
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Time Lags ◽  
Corpus Christi ◽  
Dispersed Oil ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The U.S

The current SMART protocol used by the U.S. Coast Guard relies on traditional ex-situ fluorometers that require physical transport of the sample from the water column to the instruments. While sample transport methods are available (e.g. pumps and discrete sampling), they introduce time lags in the data acquisition process. These lags can be a source of error when the data is post analyzed and is not conducive to real-time monitoring efforts, creating significant logistical problems and dispersion (smearing) of the sample stream. Another limitation of the currently-used equipment is that it requires much attention to manually record GPS data which is later used to determine the spatial distribution of an oil plume. Recent developments of in-situ fluorometric instrumentation promise to simplify problems associated with deployment of ex-situ instrumentation (e.g. insuring that pumps are primed) in boat-based field applications. This study first compares the performance of two in-situ fluorometers in a simulated oil and dispersant application at the Shoreline Environmental Research Facility at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi, Texas. The fluorometers were the WETStar and the ECP-FL3 (both by WETLabs, Inc.). To address issues related to data collection from a GPS and a fluorometer, a system was developed that simultaneously merges data from both instruments into a single file and presents the data real-time as a color-coded ship track. The applicability of this system was tested and evaluated during a spill response exercise conducted by the Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Coast Guard in Galveston Bay, Texas, U.S.A.

Recent Developments in the Asymmetric Detrifluoroacetylative Reactions of in situ Generated Mono-Fluorinated Enolates

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (18) ◽  
pp. 2181-2191
Author(s):  
Li Wang ◽  
Ziyi Li ◽  
Jiang Liu ◽  
Jianlin Han ◽  
Hiroki Moriwaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
Bond Cleavage ◽  
Synthetic Methodology ◽  
Research Topics ◽  
Synthetic Organic Chemistry ◽  
Nucleophilic Reactions ◽  
F Center ◽  
Recent Developments

The development of an efficient and mild synthetic methodology for the construction of bioactive fluorine-containing molecules represents one of the hot research topics in general synthetic organic chemistry. In this review, some recent progresses achieved in the development of detrifluoroacetylatively generated mono-fluorinated enolates via CC bond cleavage and their asymmetric nucleophilic reactions for assembly of chiral quaternary C-F center containing compounds.

scholarly journals A Review on LDH-Smart Functionalization of Anodic Films of Mg Alloys

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 536
Author(s):  
Mosab Kaseem ◽  
Karna Ramachandraiah ◽  
Shakhawat Hossain ◽  
Burak Dikici
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Mg Alloys ◽  
Anodic Films ◽  
Electrolytic Oxidation ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Plasma Electrolytic ◽  
Co Precipitation ◽  
Corrosive Environments ◽  
Double Hydroxide

This review presents an overview of the recent developments in the synthesis of layered double hydroxide (LDH) on the anodized films of Mg alloys prepared by either conventional anodizing or plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and the applications of the formed composite ceramics as smart chloride traps in corrosive environments. In this work, the main fabrication approaches including co-precipitation, in situ hydrothermal, and an anion exchange reaction are outlined. The unique structure of LDH nanocontainers enables them to intercalate several corrosion inhibitors and release them when required under the action of corrosion-relevant triggers. The influences of different variables, such as type of cations, the concentration of salts, pH, and temperature, immersion time during the formation of LDH/anodic film composites, on the electrochemical response are also highlighted. The correlation between the dissolution rate of PEO coating and the growth rate of the LDH film was discussed. The challenges and future development strategies of LDH/anodic films are also highlighted in terms of industrial applications of these materials.

scholarly journals Comparison of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Consortia from Surface and Deep Waters of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Characterization and Degradation Potential

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2246
Author(s):  
Georgia Charalampous ◽  
Efsevia Fragkou ◽  
Konstantinos A. Kormas ◽  
Alexandre B. De Menezes ◽  
Paraskevi N. Polymenakou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Sole Source ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Deep Waters ◽  
Degradation Rates ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Set Up

The diversity and degradation capacity of hydrocarbon-degrading consortia from surface and deep waters of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea were studied in time-series experiments. Microcosms were set up in ONR7a medium at in situ temperatures of 25 °C and 14 °C for the Surface and Deep consortia, respectively, and crude oil as the sole source of carbon. The Deep consortium was additionally investigated at 25 °C to allow the direct comparison of the degradation rates to the Surface consortium. In total, ~50% of the alkanes and ~15% of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were degraded in all treatments by Day 24. Approximately ~95% of the total biodegradation by the Deep consortium took place within 6 days regardless of temperature, whereas comparable levels of degradation were reached on Day 12 by the Surface consortium. Both consortia were dominated by well-known hydrocarbon-degrading taxa. Temperature played a significant role in shaping the Deep consortia communities with Pseudomonas and Pseudoalteromonas dominating at 25 °C and Alcanivorax at 14 °C. Overall, the Deep consortium showed a higher efficiency for hydrocarbon degradation within the first week following contamination, which is critical in the case of oil spills, and thus merits further investigation for its exploitation in bioremediation technologies tailored to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

China’s response to the 2014–2016 Ebola crisis: Enhancing Africa’s soft security under Sino-US competition

2020 ◽  
pp. 0920203X2097854
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Cabestan
Keyword(s):  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Strategic Competition ◽  
International Response ◽  
Disaster Relief Operations ◽  
Relief Operations ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Military Teams

The 2014–16 Ebola crisis in West Africa was China’s very first opportunity to demonstrate its willingness and ability to play a meaningful role in addressing public health emergencies of international concern. China’s decision to participate in the international response to the outbreak was part of an ambition to enhance its contribution to Africa’s security in general and health security in particular and to exert more influence on global norms. The specific role played by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), especially its Academy of Military Medical Sciences, in Sierra Leone and Liberia is part of an ongoing effort to increase China’s involvement in international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. It was the first time that it sent medical military teams to set up and operate infectious disease hospitals overseas. This participation also underscores the PLA’s crucial role in fighting epidemics overseas as well as at home, as the current COVID-19 pandemic illustrates. The Ebola crisis enables us to explore aspects of the PLA’s overseas missions, some of which are humanitarian and others which generally enhance China’s influence as a great power in Africa and in the world in the context of a growing Sino-US strategic competition.

Use of a crystallization robot to set up sitting-drop vapor-diffusion crystallization andin situcrystallization screens

2000 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher F. Snook ◽  
Michael D. Purdy ◽  
Michael C. Wiener
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Protein Crystallization ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
Vapor Diffusion ◽  
Liquid Handling ◽  
General Utility ◽  
Crystallization Experiments ◽  
Automated Screening ◽  
Set Up

A commercial crystallization robot has been modified for use in setting up sitting-drop vapor-diffusion crystallization experiments, and for setting up protein crystallization screensin situ. The primary aim of this effort is the automated screening of crystallization of integral membrane proteins in detergent-containing solutions. However, the results of this work are of general utility to robotic liquid-handling systems. Sources of error that can prevent the accurate dispensing and mixing of solutions have been identified, and include local environmental, machine-specific and solution conditions. Solutions to each of these problems have been developed and implemented.

Exploring Nature's plasticity with a flexible probing tool, and finding new ways for its electronic distribution

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Beier ◽  
M. Baum ◽  
H. Rebscher ◽  
R. Mauritz ◽  
A. Wixmerten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
In Situ Synthesis ◽  
Light Modulation ◽  
Genomic Assays ◽  
Electronic Distribution ◽  
Spatial Light Modulation ◽  
Microarray Fabrication ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Microarray Format

Concepts and results are described for the use of a single, but extremely flexible, probing tool to address a wide variety of genomic questions. This is achieved by transforming genomic questions into a software file that is used as the design scheme for potentially any genomic assay in a microarray format. Microarray fabrication takes place in three-dimensional microchannel reaction carriers by in situ synthesis based on spatial light modulation. This set-up allows for maximum flexibility in design and realization of genomic assays. Flexibility is achieved at the molecular, genomic and assay levels. We have applied this technology to expression profiling and genotyping experiments.

scholarly journals Monitoring compliance with sulfur content regulations of shipping fuel by in situ measurements of ship emissions

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (17) ◽  
pp. 10087-10092 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kattner ◽  
B. Mathieu-Üffing ◽  
J. P. Burrows ◽  
A. Richter ◽  
S. Schmolke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sulfur Content ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The North ◽  
Position Data ◽  
Gas Measurements ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Abstract. In 1997 the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted MARPOL Annex VI to prevent air pollution by shipping emissions. It regulates, among other issues, the sulfur content in shipping fuels, which is transformed into the air pollutant sulfur dioxide (SO2) during combustion. Within designated Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECA), the sulfur content was limited to 1 %, and on 1 January 2015, this limit was further reduced to 0.1 %. Here we present the set-up and measurement results of a permanent ship emission monitoring site near Hamburg harbour in the North Sea SECA. Trace gas measurements are conducted with in situ instruments and a data set from September 2014 to January 2015 is presented. By combining measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and SO2 with ship position data, it is possible to deduce the sulfur fuel content of individual ships passing the measurement station, thus facilitating the monitoring of compliance of ships with the IMO regulations. While compliance is almost 100 % for the 2014 data, it decreases only very little in 2015 to 95.4 % despite the much stricter limit. We analysed more than 1400 ship plumes in total and for months with favourable conditions, up to 40 % of all ships entering and leaving Hamburg harbour could be checked for their sulfur fuel content.

Genetic gap analysis of wildHordeumtaxa

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Vincent ◽  
Roland von Bothmer ◽  
Helmut Knüpffer ◽  
Ahmed Amri ◽  
Jan Konopka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Plant Genetic Resources ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Gene Pools ◽  
Barley Plant ◽  
Genetic Reserve ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Global Inventory

To facilitate the updating ofin situandex situconservation strategies for wild taxa of the genusHordeumL., a combined ecogeographic survey and gap analysis was undertaken. The analysis was based on the Global Inventory of Barley Plant Genetic Resources held by ICARDA plus additional datasets, resulting in a database containing 17,131 wildHordeumaccessions. The analysis concluded that a genetic reserve should be established in the Mendoza Province of Argentina, as this is the most species-rich area globally forHordeum. A network of reserves should also be set up across the Fertile Crescent in Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to provide effective conservation within the centres of diversity for gene pools 1B (Hordeum vulgaresubsp.spontaneum(C. Koch) Thell.) and 2 (Hordeum bulbosumL.). The majority of the species were deemed under-collected, so further collecting missions are required worldwide where possible. Althoughex situandin situconservation strategies have been developed, there needs to be further investigation into the ecological environments thatHordeumspecies occupy to ensure that any adaptive traits expressed are fully conserved. Additionally, studies are required to characterize existing collections and test the viability of rare species accessions held in genebanks to determine whether furtherex situcollections are required alongside the proposedin situconservation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document