Few days ago, on 10/9/2017, a great
ecological disaster occurred in the Saronic Gulf due to the plunge of a tanker
under unknown conditions. But is this a short-term incident and it will concern
us for a period of time until the equilibrium of the aquatic ecosystem is
restored or does it undermines something bigger that will trouble us for months
or even years? Such an event will surely influence the current state of the
aquatic ecosystem in the Saronic Gulf and its premises and may not be able to
return to the state that existed prior to the accident.
Picture 1. Oil spill at the coast of Saronic Gulf
About the accident:
According to mass media, early in the
morning, southwest of the island Atalanti, the tanker named «Agia Zwnh ΙΙ» was
plunged. It has started from Aspropyrgos refineries with a load of 2.200 tons
fuel oil and 370 tons marine gas oil. Based on a detailed announcement by the
Panhellenic Seamen's Federation, the tanker was manufactured in 1972 with a
capacity of 3205 tons and it has a big number of technic problems lately,
something that was surely characterized, as dangerous for aquatic ecosystem
that definitely proved it with this accident. It was also mentioned that 9 of
11 members of the crew was not in the ship. Even if the Minister of Shipping
Panayiotis Kourouplis, few hours after the accident stated that « the sealing
has reached 95% and there is no risk of another leak. Our first attempt was to
seal the sinking ship. The Ministry of National Maritime Affairs has acted
promptly and effectively. Waterproofing has reached 95% and perhaps this
afternoon could start pumping oil», the oil spill has already flooded the
central part of the coasts of Piraeus, such as Piraiki, Freatida, Glyfada etc.
which means that the intervention was not as direct as they claim(Panhellenic Seamen's Federation, 2017).
The
seriousness of the situation is documented by the special oil tanker, the Oil
Spill Response Vessel, which arrived to help the cleaning company sent for the
first time by the European Commission for Safety and Environment (EMSA). This
particular boat is in Greece for exercise every three months and is fully
equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and highly trained staff.
Effects of
pollution from oil products:
Oil products
contain ingredients which are water-soluble, this means that when they are in
contact with water, break down and release substances which are toxic to most
living beings in the marine ecosystem. The biological process of organisms such
as phytoplankton and zooplankton, is to break down such compounds in order to
bind the substances that are necessary for their survival. In this case, microorganisms will do the same with the components
of the oil product, as a result of eventually blocking toxic substances that
may not act negatively on those organisms, but will pass through them in the
food chain causing disturbances in the behavior and physiology of organisms. (Beyer,
2016)
Picture 2. Bird covered with oil
According to
a relevant GREENPEACE’s article, it is stated that «Only 0.2 μg / l of oil in
seawater can affect the reproduction of certain algae (Steele, 1977). At concentrations
of 2-10 μg / l, petroleum affects the survival of fish larvae (Vandermeulen
& Capuzzo, 1983) reducing eggs production and the likelihood of successful
spawning (Kuhnhold et al, 1978). At concentrations of 20-40 μg / l, oil can
cause changes in the phytoplankton composition, favoring, for example, smaller
species, thus reversing the balance of the entire food chain (Lee, 1977).
Concentrations of 0.1 g / Kg in sediments can have adverse effects on benthic
organisms (Elmgren & Frithsen, 1982) ». Observing these percentages, we
could understand how minimal quantities of oil in the aquatic ecosystem can
cause a large amount of impacts, let alone tons of oil discharged at the
Saronic Gulf after the accident!
In addition to the impact on aquatic ecosystems'
animals and organisms, as we have seen from similar incidents like Torrey
Canyon in March 1967 in southwestern England or Tampico Maru in Mexico, oil
tend to cling to the sandy and rocky shores, so it is absorbed by the plants
and slowly destroys the flora of the area.
Picture 3. Volunteers use watering cans full of
dispersal agents try to get rid of the oil on the beach at Marazion, Cornwall from Torrey Canyon: The shipwrecked
supertanker ,1967
Public
health:
Due to the fact that the immediate effects of
oil on the food chain are not particularly obvious, they are usually
characterized as small-scale. However, the bioaccumulation phenomenon does not
cease to exist as it is consumed by aquatic ecosystem organisms through the
food chain that accumulates because it fails to break down and produces
long-lasting effects that even humans receive through seafood. The negative
effects are mainly due to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which
have the ability to remain unchanged by keeping their toxic properties
transported through the food chain.
It is obviously that this unfortunate event
will affect the aquatic ecosystem for at least 3-5 years, and will certainly
have long-lasting effects on the fauna and flora of the area.
References
Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (13/9/17). ECOLOGIC BOMB "AGIA ZONI II" - Extremely insecure and dangerous - Tragic delay and unprecedented failure of the state authorities to tackle the marine ecological disaster in the Saronic Gulf. Retrieved 24/9/17 from: http://penen.gr/πενεν/δελτια-τυπου/item/3955-κινητη-οικολογικη-βομβα-το-δ-ξ-«αγια-ζωνη-ιι»-υπερήλικο-ανασφαλές-και-επικίνδυνο-τραγική-καθυστέρηση-και-πρωτοφανής-ανεπάρκεια-των-κρατικών-αρχών-στην-αντιμετώπιση-της-θαλάσσιας-οικολογικής-καταστροφής-στον-σαρωνικό (in Greek)
Andrea Luna-Acosta et.al. (15/11/17)
Science of The Total Environment. Integrative biomarker assessment of the
effects of chemically and mechanically dispersed crude oil in Pacific oysters,
Crassostrea gigas. Retrived 26/9/17 from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969717308288?via%3Dihub#bb0240
Beyer J. et.al. (2016). Marine Pollution
Bulletin. Environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: A review.
Retrieved 26/9/17 from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X16304313?via%3Dihub
GREENPEACE, (8/2017).THE IMPACTS OF OIL SPILL POLLUTION.
Retrieved 24/9/17 from: http://www.greenpeace.org/greece/Global/greece/report/2006/8/591349.pdf
Picture 3. Bethan Bell, Mario Cacciottolo
,2017. Torrey Canyon oil spill: The day the sea turned black. Retrieved 24/9/17
from: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39223308
