The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports

Abstract: Background The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set limits on sulphur content in fuels for marine transport. However, vessels continue to use these residual high-sulphur fuels in combination with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS or scrubbers). Next to high sulphur, combustio...

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Published in:Environmental Sciences Europe
Main Authors: Teuchies, Johannes, Cox, Tom, Van Itterbeeck, Katrien, Meysman, Filip, Blust, Ronny
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1712240151162165141
https://repository.uantwerpen.be/docstore/d:irua:2924
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spelling ftunivantwerpen:c:irua:171224 2024-09-30T14:40:49+00:00 The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports Teuchies, Johannes Cox, Tom Van Itterbeeck, Katrien Meysman, Filip Blust, Ronny 2020 https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1712240151162165141 https://repository.uantwerpen.be/docstore/d:irua:2924 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1186/S12302-020-00380-Z info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/isi/000551500600001 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess 2190-4715 Environmental sciences Europe Chemistry Biology info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2020 ftunivantwerpen https://doi.org/10.1186/S12302-020-00380-Z 2024-09-10T04:06:35Z Abstract: Background The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set limits on sulphur content in fuels for marine transport. However, vessels continue to use these residual high-sulphur fuels in combination with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS or scrubbers). Next to high sulphur, combustion of these fuels also results in higher emissions of contaminants including metals and PAHs. In scrubbers, exhaust gases are sprayed with water in order to remove SOx, resulting in acidic washwater with elevated contaminant concentrations discharged in the aquatic ecosystem. The number of vessels with scrubbers is increasing rapidly, but knowledge on washwater quality and impact are limited. Results The scrubber washwater is found to be acidic with elevated concentrations of, e.g. zinc, vanadium, copper, nickel, phenanthrene, naphthalene, fluorene and fluoranthene. Model calculations on the effects of scrubber discharge under scenario HIGH (20% of vessels, 90th percentile concentrations) on the water quality in harbour docks showed a decrease in pH of 0.015 units and an increase in surface water concentrations for e.g. naphthalene (189% increase) and vanadium (46% increase). Conclusions The IMO established sulphur regulations to mitigate the impact of high sulphur emissions of the maritime sector. However, the use of open-loop scrubbers as an abatement technology will not reduce their contribution to ocean acidification. In addition, different types of scrubbers discharge washwater that is acutely toxic for aquatic organisms. However, washwater is diluted and the compounds for which a large increase in surface water concentrations was calculated in the Antwerp (Belgium) harbour docks (naphthalene > phenanthrene > fluorene > acenaphthene > vanadium) were not the compounds that already exceed their respective Water Quality Standards (WQS). Nevertheless, the WQS of several 'priority hazardous substances' (Water Framework Directive) are already exceeded in the docks and the Scheldt estuary. Since these ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Ocean acidification IRUA - Institutional Repository van de Universiteit Antwerpen Environmental Sciences Europe 32 1
institution Open Polar
collection IRUA - Institutional Repository van de Universiteit Antwerpen
op_collection_id ftunivantwerpen
language English
topic Chemistry
Biology
spellingShingle Chemistry
Biology
Teuchies, Johannes
Cox, Tom
Van Itterbeeck, Katrien
Meysman, Filip
Blust, Ronny
The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
topic_facet Chemistry
Biology
description Abstract: Background The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set limits on sulphur content in fuels for marine transport. However, vessels continue to use these residual high-sulphur fuels in combination with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS or scrubbers). Next to high sulphur, combustion of these fuels also results in higher emissions of contaminants including metals and PAHs. In scrubbers, exhaust gases are sprayed with water in order to remove SOx, resulting in acidic washwater with elevated contaminant concentrations discharged in the aquatic ecosystem. The number of vessels with scrubbers is increasing rapidly, but knowledge on washwater quality and impact are limited. Results The scrubber washwater is found to be acidic with elevated concentrations of, e.g. zinc, vanadium, copper, nickel, phenanthrene, naphthalene, fluorene and fluoranthene. Model calculations on the effects of scrubber discharge under scenario HIGH (20% of vessels, 90th percentile concentrations) on the water quality in harbour docks showed a decrease in pH of 0.015 units and an increase in surface water concentrations for e.g. naphthalene (189% increase) and vanadium (46% increase). Conclusions The IMO established sulphur regulations to mitigate the impact of high sulphur emissions of the maritime sector. However, the use of open-loop scrubbers as an abatement technology will not reduce their contribution to ocean acidification. In addition, different types of scrubbers discharge washwater that is acutely toxic for aquatic organisms. However, washwater is diluted and the compounds for which a large increase in surface water concentrations was calculated in the Antwerp (Belgium) harbour docks (naphthalene > phenanthrene > fluorene > acenaphthene > vanadium) were not the compounds that already exceed their respective Water Quality Standards (WQS). Nevertheless, the WQS of several 'priority hazardous substances' (Water Framework Directive) are already exceeded in the docks and the Scheldt estuary. Since these ...
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Teuchies, Johannes
Cox, Tom
Van Itterbeeck, Katrien
Meysman, Filip
Blust, Ronny
author_facet Teuchies, Johannes
Cox, Tom
Van Itterbeeck, Katrien
Meysman, Filip
Blust, Ronny
author_sort Teuchies, Johannes
title The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
title_short The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
title_full The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
title_fullStr The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
title_full_unstemmed The impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
title_sort impact of scrubber discharge on the water quality in estuaries and ports
publishDate 2020
url https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1712240151162165141
https://repository.uantwerpen.be/docstore/d:irua:2924
genre Ocean acidification
genre_facet Ocean acidification
op_source 2190-4715
Environmental sciences Europe
op_relation info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1186/S12302-020-00380-Z
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/isi/000551500600001
op_rights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1186/S12302-020-00380-Z
container_title Environmental Sciences Europe
container_volume 32
container_issue 1
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