Aromatic hydrocarbons are a prevalent constituent of crude oil. The refined products of crude oil such as petroleum and diesel can find their way into groundwater though oil-spillages and are also present in the oil and gas industry’s produced water. These aromatics are biorecalcitrant, however upon ingestion with water, may be metabolised to toxic intermediates that are carcinogenic or mutagenic in nature. Although some treatment technologies are available most of these are under development and are yet to be proven in the field. This illustrates the need for novel, economical and environmentally friendly technologies to be developed with a view to remediating aqueous systems that have been polluted with aromatics hydrocarbons. The supramolecular cyclodextrin molecule, with its hydrophobic interior and hydrophobic exterior seems to be an excellent molecule for the trapping of the pollutant molecules, however the inclusion complexes with this cyclic sugar are water-soluble therefore there is a need for the cyclodextrin to be rendered waterinsoluble. A study of the aqueous solubilities of some aromatic hydrocarbons that may be present in crude oil has been carried out and shows that the majority of these molecules have a degree of water solubility that may increase upon environmental weathering. The successful reaction between a solid-phase resin and the β-cyclodextrin molecule has been achieved, with the total dryness of the system being required including Soxhlet extraction of the resin with anhydrous acetone before the reaction. The reaction between β-cyclodextrin and a range of isocyanates proved unsuccessful, but a range of symmetrical aryl ureas were synthesised from their isocyanates with the influence that different activating or deactivating groups on the ring have on the propensity to form the ureas being shown. The successful alkylation between β-cyclodextrin and a series of haloalkanes has shown the effect of increasing chain length on the degree of alkylation. This reaction involved the deprotonation of the cyclodextrin by sodium hydride in anhydrous dimethyl sulphoxide followed by reaction with the alkyl iodide. Increasing the equivalents of hydride or iodide, or the reaction time did not have a noticeable effect on the degree of reaction indicating that steric constraints were limiting the degree of reaction. Testing several of these alkyl iodides gave an indication as to their tendency to uptake and remove several model pollutants that had been dissolved in water with the propylated β-cyclodextrin displaying potential for the remediation of aqueous systems that had been polluted. Several of these results were very promising leading to the conclusion that further derivatives of these alkylated sugars may be even more suitable for future research into the remediation of organically polluted aqueous systems.

Thesis (M. Env. St.)--University of Adelaide, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 273-308).

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. / Restricted until October 2005. Bibliography: leaves 127-136.

[pt] Notícias ambientais no Brasil foram dominadas através de derramamentos de óleo nos últimos anos. Esta dissertação apresenta os resultados de um programa experimental para estudar a capacidade de desorção térmica em limpar as costas afetadas.A temperatura ambiente, os resíduos oleosos emitem metano e amônia e estas emissões tendem a aumentar com a elevação das temperaturas. Por outro lado, o teor de óleo e graxa dos resíduos oleosos cai com o aumento da temperatura e exposição prolongada.Um cobertor térmico foi construído e avaliado. Os resultados mostraram que sua eficiência é restringida a poucos décimos de centímetros abaixo da superfície do solo devido à condutividade térmica de areias. Porém, esta desvantagem poderia ser contornada colocando o termopar de controle do sistema na profundidade desejada.Finalmente, a desorção térmica in situ parece ser um sistema único para a limpeza de resíduos oleosos. É simples, rápido e evita todo o incômodo associado à escavação de solo para disposição ou limpeza. / [en] Environmental news in Brazil has been dominated by oil spills in the past years. This dissertation presents the results of a comprehensive experimental programme on studying the ability of thermal desorption on cleaning up the affected shores.At ambient temperature, oiled debris emit methane and ammonia and these emissions tend to increase with rising temperatures. On the other hand, oil&grease content from oiled debris falls with rising temperature and prolonged exposure.A thermal blanket was designed, built and evaluated herein. Results have shown that its efficiency is restricted to few tenths of centimetres below the ground surface due to the thermal conductivity of sands. However, this drawback could be overcome is the control thermocouple of the system is positioned at the desired depth.Finally, in situ thermal desorption seem to be an unique system for cleaning debris from oil spills. It is simple, fast and avoids all the harassment associated to digging up the soil for disposal or cleanup.

Since the Exxon Valdez accident in 1987, renewed interest has come forth to better understand and predict the fate and transport of crude oil lost to marine environments. The short-term fate of an Arabian Crude oil was simulated in laboratory experiments using artificial seawater. The time-dependent changes in the rheological and chemical properties of the oil under the influence of natural weathering processes were characterized, including dispersion behavior of the oil under simulated ocean turbulence. Methodology included monitoring the changes in the chemical composition of the oil by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS), toxicity evaluations for the oil dispersions by Microtox analysis, and quantification of dispersed soluble aromatics by fluorescence spectrometry. Results for this oil show a sharp initial increase in viscosity, due to evaporative losses of lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, with the formation of stable water-in-oil emulsions occurring within one week. Toxicity evaluations indicate a decreased EC-50 value (higher toxicity) occurring after the oil has weathered eight hours, with maximum toxicity being observed after weathering seven days. Particle charge distributions, determined by electrophoretic techniques using a Coulter DELSA 440, reveal that an unstable oil dispersion exists within the size range of 1.5 to 2.5 um, with recombination processes being observed between sequential laser runs of a single sample.

Harmful organic contaminants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons, are ubiquitous in coastal marine ecosystems around the world, a problem that will only be exacerbated with rising sea level and increased inundation of coastal urban areas. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the fate of these contaminants following their deposition on marine sediment, where they can potentially persist for long periods of time. As organic carbon remineralization rates depend on the respiration process employed by the bacteria in the sediment, it was the goal of this study to determine how the sediment redox environment, with an emphasis on Fe redox chemistry, affects the biodegradation of recalcitrant petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. While amendment of natural sediment with Fe minerals that are commonly transported to coastal areas following erosion from continental crust did successfully catalyze Fe reduction and inhibit sulfate reduction, the effect on the hydrocarbon biodegradation rate was negligible. However, inoculation of the sediment with Shewanella oneidensis, an exoelectrogenic, Fe reducing bacteria known to catalyze the degradation of hydrocarbon compounds found in crude oil, did significantly affect the redox environment and sediment microbial communities and alter the pattern of hydrocarbon loss in the sediment over time. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

In this research, we use an interdisciplinary approach to analyze the narrative of Radio Ucamara in order to render visible the material and spiritual consequences of the largest oil spill of the first decade of the 2000s in Peru. To do so, I analyze two documentaries: Consuelen a mi pueblo. Cuninico, dos años después (14' 37"), and Daños a la espiritualidad kukama (11' 40"). They show their forms of resistance and denunciation through what we call a voz memoriosa. This conceptual metaphor is characterized by intersecting their own social practices (songs, icaros, and stories) with official narratives (the chronology of the spill, the tallying of material damage, and extracts from trials). Thus, their way of presenting the consequences of the spill and of representing themselves in relation to them is not only cross-cultural, but also highly metaphorical. I chose to apply a qualitative approach based on ten extensive, in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews and by instant messaging with Leonardo Tello, director of Radio Ucamara, from May 2020 to June 2021. The analysis and the theoretical concept reveal that documentaries are part of their social practices insofar as they involve community members and the non-human subjectivities with whom they relate. Thus, they, on their own terms, manage to interweave Western perspectives of linear (cause-consequence) remembrance with their polyphonic remembrance of organic aesthetics. The concept that I propose allows us to broaden Ginsburg’s use and understanding of organic aesthetics. The study also offers an analysis of the way in which those affected describe the consequences that environmental pollution brings directly upon their spirituality. / La presente investigación analiza desde un enfoque interdisciplinario la narrativa de Radio Ucamara para visibilizar las consecuencias materiales y espirituales del derrame de crudo de petróleo más grande de la primera década de los 2000 en el Perú. Para ello, analizo dos documentales: Consuelen a mi pueblo. Cuninico, dos años después (14' 37") y Daños a la espiritualidad kukama (11' 40"). Estos muestran sus formas de resistir y denunciar a partir de lo que llamamos una voz memoriosa. Esta metáfora conceptual se caracteriza por intersecar prácticas sociales propias (cantos, icaros e historias) con narrativas oficiales (la cronología del derrame, la contabilización de los daños materiales, extractos de juicios). De ese modo, su forma de presentar las consecuencias del derrame y de representarse frente a ellas no solo es intercultural, sino que es altamente metafórica. Se optó por aplicar un enfoque cualitativo sostenido en diez entrevistas extensas, a profundidad y semiestructuradas vía telefónica y a través de mensajería instantánea con Leonardo Tello, director de Radio Ucamara, desde mayo del año 2020 hasta junio de 2021. Los análisis y concepto teórico hechos permiten entender que los documentales forman parte de las prácticas sociales del territorio en tanto envuelven a los miembros de la comunidad y a las subjetividades no humanas con quienes se relacionan. Así las cosas, ellos, desde sus propios términos, logran entramar las perspectivas occidentales de recuerdo lineal (causa-consecuencia), con su recuerdo polifónico de estética orgánica. El concepto propuesto permite ampliar el uso y la forma de entender la estética orgánica de Ginsburg. Asimismo, el estudio propone un análisis de la forma en la que los afectados narran las consecuencias que la contaminación ambiental trae directamente a su espiritualidad.

No description available.

The interdependence and cooperation in the international arena have brought different benefits and made the world more interconnected. As the global system became more complex new types of state and non-state actors have emerged. Institutions have also been introduced with the specific objective to support in upholding mutual agreements and to make sure that the compliance between the several actors is followed. These institutions aim not only to uphold the stability of the system but also to provide support for power asymmetries in a competitive international system. Yet, the difficulty of holding powerful actors accountable is present in the global governance debates.  On one hand, Robert Keohane (2003) argues that democratic accountability is not possible due to the lack of a global public but suggests accountability mechanisms to understand who should hold actors to their accountability. On the other hand, Michael Goodhart (2011) offers an alternative view by arguing that the focus should be on norms, rather than agents, and these norms should carry a democratic standard.  This paper aims to investigate Repsol and more specifically, focus on the oil spill at the La Pampilla Refinery in Peru. The objective is to understand the accountability (or lack thereof) of the oil and gas companies for the harmful, environmental impact that was caused by the oil spill. The dynamics between the actors involved in this case will be studied and analyzed with the aim to expose any shortcomings of accountability in global governance. As a result, this case suggests that without firmer rules from the host country, the business industries are unlikely to make big amendments to their operations to prevent future oil spills. The result of this research adds to the IR discussion concerning the need to strengthen international norms and enable the agency of institutions.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the accidental release of millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Photo-induced toxicity following co-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one mechanism by which polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from oil spills may exert toxicity. Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) are an important commercial and ecological resource in the Gulf of Mexico and their largely transparent larvae may make them sensitive to PAH photo-induced toxicity. Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), an important fishery resource, have positively buoyant, transparent eggs. These characteristics may result in mahi-mahi embryos being at particular risk from photo-induced toxicity. Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and speckled seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) are both important fishery resources in the GoM. They spawn near-shore and produce positively buoyant embryos that hatch into larvae in about 24 h. The goal of this body of work was to determine whether exposure to UV as natural sunlight enhances the toxicity of crude oil to early lifestage GoM species. Larval and embryonic organisms were exposed to several dilutions of water accommodated fractions (WAF) from several different oils collected in the field under chain of custody during the 2010 spill and two to three gradations of natural sunlight in a factorial design. Here, we report that co-exposure to natural sunlight and oil significantly reduced larval survival and embryo hatch compared to exposure to oil alone.