Recently, Russia had declared a state of emergency after 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil spilled from power plant fuel leak into Ambarnaya river, which has turned its surface crimson red. The Ambarnaya river, into which the oil got spilled is part of a network that flows into the environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean. The leak may have a serious impact on the local ecology as the Ambarnaya river flows to the Pyasino lake and river Pyasina, which connects it to the Kara Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean. The region is rich in salmon, seals, sea otters and sea birds and fishing is impossible now in the region.
How did it happen?
Environmental groups have blamed a Russian mining firm of emphasising the role of global climate change in last week’s historic oil spill in part to avoid punishment for its ageing infrastructure and potential negligence in the accident. The spillage occurred in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region where the power plant is located near the Region’s Norilsk city, around 3000 km northeast of Moscow. The thermoelectric power plant is built on permafrost region, which has weakened over the years due to climate change. This weakening caused the pillars that supported the plant’s fuel tank to sink, leading to a loss of containment of oil. After the spillage around 20,000 tonnes of diesel oil was released into the Ambarnaya river, which has drifted 12 km on its surface till now.
How bad is the damage?
The accident had been compared by Greenpeace to the Exxon Valdez spill and is one of the largest in Russian history and . The adverse impacts of the oil spills can be summarised as—
- Oil spill leads to a direct fireplace threat which whenresults in fires will cause severe pollution.
- Many chemicals are harmful for humans and may result in contamination of the water.
- These chemicals are oxidized within the atmosphere by oxidants to make fine particulate matterthat may be indrawn by humans.
- Shorelines full of the spill might become unable to nurture natural vegetation which can adversely impact fishing and tourism.
The oil spills are also disastrous for the biodiversity and environment:
- Aquatic species may ingest the oil causing poisoning
- Insulating ability and buoyancy in water of fur-bearing animals is compromised, resulting in exposure to harsh climate
- Egg and larval survival is adversely affected
- The animals may become blind, lose sense of smell required to find offspring/mates, lose ability to fly
How is an oil spill tackled ?
Booms and skimmers are used, although they don’t work well in high winds. A solidifying agent can be used to turn the spilled oil from liquid to solid so that it can be removed more easily. Machinery is used to pick up coagulated oil from the beach. A vacuum can be used to draw in water from the site and a centrifuge can then separate the oil from the water. These are capital-intensive processes. Dispersants can be used to turn the oil into water-soluble micelles that are rapidly diluted. However, they are shown to increase the toxic hydrocarbon levels in fish by up to 100 times.Bioremediation can be used to break down the oil. The bacteria like Alcanivorax and Methylocella silvestris etc. break down the oil. The natural bio-degradation can be speeded up by adding nutrients. In the future, with genetic engineering, scientists can come up with a variety of biological agents adept at bioremediation.
In 2016, Indian scientists invented an ultrahydrophobic (water repallant) and extremely oleophilic (fat-loving) membrane that could potentially be used to clean up oil spills. The membrane was recyclable, worked using gravity, even in strong water currents. Last year, IISER scientists used marble-sized wood pulp balls to absorb the oil. the small balls of cellulose and dipped them in a solution of the gelator could absorb oil 16 times their own weight.
In both these methods, the oil can be recovered later by application of ultrasonic waves and distillation respectively.
-KRITI SAKUJA
Deeksha Chugh 