Modern pesticides damage the brain of bees so they can't move in a straight line

Impaired 'optomotor' response could lower ability of exposed bees to forage and pollinate flowers

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FRONTIERS

 

VIDEO: HONEYBEES ARE SUSPENDED ON TOP OF A TRACKING BALL, WHICH REGISTERS THEIR WALKING MOTIONS IN REAL TIME AND SENDS THESE TO A COMPUTER FOR ANALYSIS. view more 

CREDIT: RH PARKINSON, C FECHER, AND JR GRAY

The challenge to let people walk back and forth in a straight line isn't just used by police to test if drivers are intoxicated: it's also used by neurologists to diagnose neurological disorders like ataxia, where parts of the brain that coordinate movement are impaired. Now, researchers use an insect version of this challenge to show for the first time that modern pesticides damage the nervous system of honeybees so that it becomes hard for them to walk in a straight line. The results are published in Frontiers in Insect Science.

"Here we show that commonly used insecticides like sulfoxaflor and the neonicotinoid imidacloprid can profoundly impair the visually guided behavior of honeybees. Our results are reason for concern because the ability of bees to respond appropriately to visual information is crucial for their flight and navigation, and thus their survival," said lead author Dr Rachel H Parkinson, currently a scientist at the University of Oxford.

The results add to what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization have called the "rapidly growing body of evidence [which] strongly suggests that the existing levels of environmental contamination [from neonicotinoid pesticides] are causing large-scale adverse effects on bees and other beneficial insects".

Optomotor response keeps insects in line

Insects have an innate 'optomotor response', which lets them orient themselves back onto a straight trajectory when they threaten to steer off-course while walking or flying. Parkinson and colleagues challenged the optomotor response of walking honeybees to respond accurately and timely to videos of vertical bars that moved from left to right, or vice versa, across two screens in front of them. This 'tricks' the bee into assuming that she has suddenly been blown off-course and needs to perform a corrective turn to return to a straight path. A healthy optomotor response will then instruct the bee's motor system to orient back to an illusory straight line mid-way between the optic flow from right and left.

The researchers compared the efficiency of the optomotor response between four groups of wild-caught forager honeybees, with between 22 and 28 bees tested per group: each had been allowed to drink unlimited 1.5 molar sucrose solution over five days, either pure or contaminated with 50 ppb (parts per billion) imidacloprid, 50 ppb sulfoxaflor, or 25 ppb imidacloprid and 25 ppb sulfoxaflor simultaneously.

Optomotor response worse after exposure to pesticides

All bees were less good at responding to the simulated optic flow when the bars were narrow or moving slowly (ie, seemingly far away) than when they were wide or moving fast (ie, seemingly close by). But for any width and speed, the bees who had ingested the pesticides performed poorly compared to control bees. For example, they turned quickly in one direction only and didn't respond to changes in the direction of movement of the bars, or showed a lack of turning responses. The asymmetry between left and right turns was at least 2.4 times greater for pesticide-exposed bees than for control bees.

Minor brain damage

The researchers also show with molecular techniques that pesticide-exposed bees tended to have elevated proportion of dead cells in parts of the brain's optic lobes, important for processing visual input. Likewise, key genes for detoxification were dysregulated after exposure. But these changes were relatively weak and highly variable across bees, and unlikely to be the sole explanation for the observed strong impairment of the optomotor response.

"Neonicotinoid and sulfoximine insecticides activate neurons in the insect brain and are not always recycled fast enough to prevent toxicity. The effects we observed could be due to a type of rewiring in the brain: to prevent neural damage by reducing the sensitivity of neurons to these compounds," said Parkinson.

Parkinson looked ahead: "To fully understand the risk of these insecticides to bees, we need to explore whether the effects we observed in walking bees occur in freely flying bees as well. The major concern is that – if bees are unable to overcome any impairment while flying – there could be profound negative effects on their ability to forage, navigate, and pollinate wildflowers and crops."

CAPTION

The bee's optomotor response is tested by showing videos of horizontally

 moving vertical bars to her on two screens, creating the illusion of optic flow.

CREDIT

RH Parkinson, C Fecher, and JR Gray

JOURNAL

Frontiers in Insect Science

DOI

10.3389/finsc.2022.936826 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Chronic exposure to insecticides impairs honeybee optomotor behavior

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-Aug-2022

http://www.rachelcarson.org/SilentSpring.aspx

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson 

Carson's passionate concern in Silent Spring is with the future of the planet and all life on Earth. She calls for humans to act responsibly, carefully, and as ...

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/lewis-herber-murray-bookchin-our-synthetic-environment

Our Synthetic Environment | The Anarchist Library 

Source: http://www.revoltlib.com/anarchism/our-synthetic-environment/view.php. Notes: Lewis Herber is the psuedonym of Murray Bookchin.

Sea secrets surface in the Great Australian Bight

New twist in oceanic upwellings in famed feeding ground

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY

Oceanographers have discovered more about why the eastern Great Australian Bight supports a year-round abundance of marine predators, including different whale species and white sharks which attract cage divers and filmmakers inspired by the Hollywood blockbuster Jaws. 

For the first time, experts from Flinders University and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) have described substantial subsurface phytoplankton layers deep beneath the eastern part of the Bight – which serves to support the rich marine biodiversity even when the surface phytoplankton blooms disappear at certain times of the upwelling season.   

“To conserve this important region, and prepare for climate change, we need to further understand these systems and food sources,” says Flinders University researcher Alex Shute, the first author of a new study in Continental Shelf Research. 

“To understand this, we explored year-to-year variations of phytoplankton layers in the region using satellite data in conjunction with water-column data from the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).” 

To their surprise the IMOS data uncovered a ‘missing link’ of layers of substantial subsurface phytoplankton at water depths of 30m to 70m – undetected by even satellite imagery until now.  

The seasonal upwelling of nutrient-rich water fuels the production of phytoplankton, which Flinders University oceanographer Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf and colleagues have studied for almost 20 years.  

Known as the Great Southern Australian Coastal Upwelling System (GSACUS), it is one of Australia’s most productive marine ecosystems – attracting large marine mammals including whales, seals and sealions, as well as valuable fish populations such as the southern bluefin tuna. 

Associate Professor Kaempf says this new study highlights how the marine food chain survives even in years when the surface phytoplankton upwelling doesn’t occur. 

‘’Our observation of subsurface phytoplankton layers is the missing key explaining the high productivity of the region.  

"This study demonstrates how little we actually know about the functioning of marine ecosystems, and how important real field observations are,’’ adds Associate Professor Kaempf, who is president of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS), Adelaide Division.  

The research was funded by a Flinders University Climate Seed Grant entitled “Climate-change impacts on upwelling in the eastern Great Australian Bight.”  

SARDI is the research arm of SA Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).  

The article, Variability of surface and subsurface phytoplankton blooms in a seasonal coastal upwelling system (2022), by A Shute, L Kämpf, M Doubell, AR Rodriguez, L Möller, R Baring and M Newman, has been published in Continental Shelf Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2022.104832. 

  

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JOURNAL

Continental Shelf Research

DOI

10.1016/j.csr.2022.104832 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Variability of surface and subsurface phytoplankton blooms in a seasonal coastal upwelling system

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

16-Aug-2022

Living together: how two different species of dolphins coexist in Australia

New study highlights the importance of prey and habitat diversity

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: AN AUSTRALIAN SNUBFIN (ORCAELLA HEINSOHNI) DOLPHIN view more 

CREDIT: PHOTO COURTESY GUIDO PARRA VERGARA

New research by Flinders University scientists sheds new light on the reasons why two species of dolphins coexist in the northern Australian waters.  

Australian snubfin (Orcaella heinsohni) and humpback (Sousa sahulensis) dolphins live in sympatry throughout most of their range, primarily in shallow (less than 30m deep) tropical/subtropical coastal waters from southern New Guinea across northern Australia.

“A major challenge in ecology and conservation is to understand the means by which species coexist as this is the basis of biodiversity,” says Associate Professor Guido Parra Vergara, lead author of the research published in the journal Ecology and Evolution. 

“If we are to understand the effects of global change on marine mammal biodiversity, and how we can maintain assemblages of coexisting species, we need to understand their patterns of co-occurrence; the biological significance of their interactions, and the mechanisms underlying their coexistence.”  

Ecological niche theory predicts the coexistence of closely related species is promoted by resource partitioning in space and time. Understanding how different species of marine mammals such as dolphins co-exist is particularly challenging due to their size, high mobility, longevity, and the fact that they spend most of their time underwater.  

Ecologically, both species are similar. Each occur in small populations of typically fewer than 150 individuals, show a high degree of overlap in space use, have similar patterns of habitat use and behavioural activities according to space and time, and are recorded frequently in mixed species groups.  

Thus, segregation into exclusive ranges in space and time, and difference in habitat use and behavior patterns, do not seem to fully explain their coexistence. 

To compare stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in their skin, researchers collected skin samples from live Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins along the east coast of Queensland.  

Differences in carbon isotope ratios are passed up the food web to consumers, providing a quantifiable estimate of habitat and resource use. In contrast, nitrogen isotope ratios increase at each trophic level with top predators having higher nitrogen isotope values compared to lower trophic levels. 

The results of the isotope analysis suggest that while both dolphin species feed at similar trophic levels, have substantial dietary overlap and rely on similar basal food resources, there are subtle differences in their habitat use and prey selection that may promote the coexistence of Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins.  

Snubfin dolphins forage on a wider diversity of prey, while humpback dolphins forage on a wider range of habitats.  

This information elucidates some of the mechanisms of coexistence between these ecologically similar dolphin species and highlights the importance of prey and habitat diversity for the conservation of dolphin communities. 

“Food diversity and abundance and habitat heterogeneity are key factors promoting the coexistence of these two dolphin species, and pressure from overfishing and pollution that could reduce prey abundance and diversity or deteriorate their habitat quality could affect the future of such dolphin co-existence,” says Associate Professor Parra Vergara. 

“Because dolphins play important roles in maintaining the structure and function of marine communities and ecosystems, any pressures on their food and habitat resources need to be considered when planning future multi-species conservation.” 

The research - Isotopic niche overlap between sympatric Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins, by Guido Parra Vergara, Zachary Wojtkowiak, Katharina Peters and Daniele Cagnazzi - has been published in the journal Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8937 

   

CAPTION

Australian humpback (Sousa sahulensis) dolphin

CREDIT

Photo courtesy Guido J Parra Vergara (Flinders University

CAPTION

To compare stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in dolphins, Flinders University researchers collected skin samples from live Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins along the east coast of Queensland.

CREDIT

Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, Flinders University

JOURNAL

Ecology and Evolution

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Isotopic niche overlap between sympatric Australian snubfin and humpback dolphins

FIU researchers discover how DDT exposure contributes to Alzheimer’s disease risk

New finding could help pave the way for early detection and potential therapy for people highly exposed to the pesticide

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

 

VIDEO: JASON RICHARDSON, PROFESSOR AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY'S ROBERT STEMPEL COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL WORK, DISCUSSES A NEW STUDY THAT REVEALS HOW DDT EXPOSURE CONTRIBUTES TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RISK. view more 

CREDIT: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

MIAMI (Aug. 17, 2022) - A new study led by researchers from Florida International University (FIU) reveals a mechanism linking the pesticide DDT to Alzheimer's disease.

Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the study shows how the persistent environmental pollutant DDT causes increased amounts of toxic amyloid beta, which form the characteristic amyloid plaques found in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease.
 
According to Jason Richardson, professor at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work and corresponding author, the study further demonstrates that DDT is an environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. In 2014, he led a team of scientists at Rutgers University, Emory University, and UT Southwestern Medical School who presented evidence linking DDT to the disease. Now, they have data demonstrating a mechanism that may explain the association.
 
"The vast majority of research on the disease has been on genetics—and genetics are very important—but the genes that actually cause the disease are very rare," Richardson says. “Environmental risk factors like exposure to DDT are modifiable. So, if we understand how DDT affects the brain, then perhaps we could target those mechanisms and help the people who have been highly exposed.”
 
DDT was extensively used between the 1940s and 1970s to combat insect-borne diseases like malaria and treat crop and livestock production. People highly exposed to DDT back then are now beginning or already in the range of ages with a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Although banned in the U.S., DDT exposure is likely possible today from legacy contamination or imported foods.
 
The study focused on sodium channels, which the nervous system uses to communicate between brain cells (neurons), as the potential mechanism. DDT causes these channels to remain open, leading to increased firing of neurons and increased release of amyloid-beta peptides. In the study, researchers demonstrate that if neurons are treated with tetrodotoxin, a compound that blocks sodium channels in the brain, the increased production of the amyloid precursor protein and toxic amyloid-beta species is prevented.
 
“This finding could potentially provide a roadmap to future therapies for people highly exposed to DDT,” Richardson says.
 
The study was done in collaboration with Rutgers University.
 
Researchers used cultured cells, transgenic flies, and mice models to demonstrate DDT's effect on the amyloid pathway, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
By exposing all the models to DDT—in the range of what people were exposed to decades ago—researchers observed an increase in the production of the amyloid precursor protein, as well as elevated levels of toxic amyloid species, such as amyloid-beta peptides, and plaques.
 
"We found that if we block sodium channels with the compound tetrodotoxin and then dose neurons with DDT, then they don't increase the amyloid precursor protein and don't secrete excess amyloid-beta," Richardson says.
 
The next step for the researchers will be to test therapeutic drugs using the information they now know. Richardson shares that there already are several drugs that target sodium channels.
“We are in the process of doing those studies to see if we can take an already FDA-approved drug and see if it reduces toxic amyloid accumulation,” he adds.
 
Read the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives

Photo and video assets, including an interview with Richardson, are available here.

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JOURNAL

Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI

10.1289/EHP10576 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Effects of DDT on Amyloid Precursor Protein Levels and Amyloid Beta Pathology: Mechanistic Links to Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

http://www.rachelcarson.org/SilentSpring.aspx

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson 

Carson's passionate concern in Silent Spring is with the future of the planet and all life on Earth. She calls for humans to act responsibly, carefully, and as ...

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/lewis-herber-murray-bookchin-our-synthetic-environment

Our Synthetic Environment | The Anarchist Library 

Source: http://www.revoltlib.com/anarchism/our-synthetic-environment/view.php. Notes: Lewis Herber is the psuedonym of Murray Bookchin.

Investigation into plastic pollution moves inland

New research highlights the increasing threat of microplastics to global farming and food production

Peer-Reviewed Publication

STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: A BUNDLE OF ANTHROPOGENIC FIBRES FOUND IN UK SOIL view more 

CREDIT: ELLIE HARRISON

New research highlights the increasing threat of microplastics to global farming and food production.

Scientists at Staffordshire University are driving research to understand the scale of plastic pollution in agricultural soils and its impact around the world.

Claire Gwinnett, Professor of Forensic and Environmental Science, explained: “We know a lot about microplastics in oceans and freshwater and we are starting to learn more about microplastics in the air, but we still know very little about microplastics in terrestrial environments.

“With climate change, the pressure of increasing populations on food production and risks to food security, it has become apparent that it is incredibly important that we look into this.”

In recent years, the use of plastics in agriculture has increased significantly. However, microplastics in soil are estimated to take up to 300 years to completely degrade. It is believed that their presence alters soil characteristics such as its structure, water holding capacity, and microbial communities, and that microplastics are, in part, responsible for crop-reducing effects.

The Staffordshire Forensic Fibres and Microplastic Research Group has been undertaking various studies, including an international review into the pressures of plastic pollution in rural regions, which highlights the need for wider analysis of terrestrial microplastics to help reduce environmental and public health threats.

Professor Gwinnett said: “We know that microplastics in agricultural soils are abundant, varied, and are influenced by land use and farming activities. We know from a small number of studies that it can affect organisms living in the soil such as worms and springtails.

“Studies on the effect of microplastics on plants are even rarer but we also know that it impacts crops grown in these environments as well as livestock living there. What we need to know now is how much plastic there is and to better understand what effect this is having.”

Ellie Harrison, a PhD researcher in the Staffordshire Forensic Fibres and Microplastic Research Group, is currently conducting a series of studies on the effects of microplastics on common UK agricultural crops.  She said: “Research into the impacts of microplastics in the agricultural soils conducted at Staffordshire University has shown that this pollutant can cause a decrease in germination rate and changes to seed production which could have negative consequences for food production.”

A recent study, conducted in partnership with Çukurova University, has investigated the amount of plastics derived from disposable greenhouse plastic films and irrigation pipes in agricultural soils in Turkey.

Professor Gwinnett said: “Greenhouse films and irrigation piping are products commonly used in farming and we have the same plastic uses in the UK and across Europe. Instead of being removed, these plastic products are often left in fields where they experience wear and tear and degradation from the sun which breaks these plastics down into secondary microplastics.

“Our results show that from years and years of using these plastics, microplastics are accumulating in the soil and cannot be removed.”

Soil samples were taken from 10 different locations in the Adana/Karataş region in Turkey. The number of micro-, meso-, macro- and megaplastics that was identified in soil where greenhouse film and irrigation piping was used, was about 47, 78, 17, and 1.2-times higher than in farmlands that did not use plastic, respectively. Findings indicated that residual plastics decreased in the soil where used plastics were removed after usage. The results aim to guide farmers in better management of plastics.

A further study with Çukurova University is investigating farmer practices and perceptions in Turkey to understand what the barriers are to taking up preventative measures or more sustainable approaches.

Staffordshire University has been conducting similar research in the UK in partnership with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU); this study looks into the amount and types of microplastic in UK agricultural soils.  This is the first of its kind in the UK and it aims to get a better understanding of the extent of microplastic pollution in farmland.

Professor Gwinnett added: “Plastic usage in the agricultural sector may have worthy benefits in the short term, but the long-term effects cannot be ignored. We hope that our growing body of research can be used to inform decision makers and kickstart real change to safeguard soil health and the future of the farming.”

Notes to Editors

To request an interview with Professor Claire Gwinnett or a full copy of the publications referenced, please contact Amy Platts on amy.platts@staffs.ac.uk or 07799 341911.

 

 

 

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JOURNAL

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

DOI

10.1007/s11356-022-21911-6 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Plastics derived from disposable greenhouse plastic films and irrigation pipes in agricultural soils: a case study from Turkey

Oil spill cleanup workers more likely to have asthma symptoms

NIH study finds chemicals from Deepwater Horizon disaster associated with more wheeze

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NIH/NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

 

IMAGE: OIL SPILL WORKERS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE ASTHMA SYMPTOMS THAT THOSE WHO DID NOT WORK ON CLEANUP. view more 

CREDIT: NIEHS

Researchers from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study (GuLF STUDY) found that workers involved in cleaning up the nation’s largest oil spill were 60% more likely than those who did not work on the cleanup to be diagnosed with asthma or experience asthma symptoms one to three years after the spill.

This ongoing study, led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the largest study to look at the health of workers who responded to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.   

“This is the first study to ever look at specific chemicals from oil spills and link them to respiratory diseases,” said Dale Sandler, Ph.D., chief of the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch and lead researcher for the GuLF STUDY. “If you were an oil spill cleanup worker in the gulf experiencing wheezing or other asthma-like symptoms, it would be good to let your healthcare provider know you worked on the oil spill.” 

 

The researchers analyzed data from 19,018 oil spill response and cleanup workers and another 5,585 people who had completed required safety training but did not work on cleanup. None of the participants had been diagnosed with asthma before the spill. The non-workers were considered an unexposed comparison group.

The researchers estimated worker’s exposures to specific oil spill chemicals. They then looked at the relationship between doctor diagnosed asthma or asthma-related symptoms and the types of jobs the cleanup workers held and the resulting exposure to total hydrocarbons. Researchers also assessed associations of outcomes with a subgroup of chemicals in crude oil, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and n-hexane (collectively known as BTEX-H). These chemicals are classified as hazardous air pollutants according to the U.S. Clean Air Act and are linked to other health effects in the GuLF STUDY.

Researchers found that the relative risk for asthma symptoms increased with increasing levels of exposure to individual BTEX-H chemicals as well as the BTEX-H mixture.

“The more a worker was exposed to these crude oil chemicals, including total hydrocarbons, the individual BTEX-H chemicals, and the BTEX-H mixture, the more likely they were to have asthma symptoms,” said Kaitlyn Lawrence, Ph.D., a staff scientist in the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch and lead author of the study published in Environmental International. She noted, “Exposure levels varied depending on the person’s clean-up jobs and how long they worked.”

Jobs varied from administrative support and environmental water sampling, to mopping up crude oil from aboard a sea vessel or shoreline vessel to decontaminating equipment or wildlife. (A breakdown of all participant jobs is available on GuLF STUDY website).

The paper reports that 983 (5%) of the cleanup workers reported asthma and asthma symptoms, while only 196 (3%) non-workers reported the asthma outcome. Workers that were involved in operating, maintaining, or refueling the heavy cleanup equipment had the highest incidence of asthma. For this study, asthma is defined as reporting a doctor’s diagnosis of asthma or, for never-smokers, self-reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest all or most of the time.

“Because the GuLF STUDY population is socioeconomically vulnerable, with less than half reporting access to medical care, we included non-doctor confirmed asthma cases to minimize any underreporting of true asthma cases in the population that would be missed due to lack of access to health care,” Sandler said.

The definition for asthma used in this study builds off an established definition used successfully as a clinical outcome in other large epidemiological studies.   

The GuLF STUDY continues to follow the nearly 33,000 participants enrolled in the original study to monitor potential health outcomes and answer important public health questions. More information about the GuLF STUDY can be found at https://gulfstudy.nih.gov/en/index.html.

Grants: This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, NIEHS (Z01 ES 102945).

About the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS): NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of the National Institutes of Health. For more information on NIEHS or environmental health topics, visit www.niehs.nih.gov or subscribe to a news list.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

Reference: Lawrence KG, Niehoff NM, Keil AP, Jackson WB II, Christenbury K, Stewart PA, Stenzel MR, Huynh TB, Groth CP, Ramachandran G, Banerjee S, Pratt GC, Curry MD, Engel LS, Sandler DP. 2022. Associations between airborne crude oil chemicals and symptom-based asthma. Environmental International; Volume 167; (PubMed).

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SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Associations between airborne crude oil chemicals and symptom-based asthma.

What happens to the waste after an oil spill clean up?

UBC Okanagan researchers develop framework for safe disposal of soiled materials

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA OKANAGAN CAMPUS

Images of damaged coastlines, oily sheens, containment booms and endangered wildlife are part of every offshore oil spill.

And while a response team arrives and the clean up gets underway, UBC Okanagan researchers are now exploring how to effectively handle the waste created from that spill.

As part of a Multi-Partner Research Initiative sponsored by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, UBCO engineers are conducting new research to help the oil spill response industry and its regulators enhance response preparedness and efficiency in Canadian waters. A new research study, published recently in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, conducts a lifecycle assessment of oil spill waste mitigation and how to properly dispose of the refuse.

“We never want to experience any sort of spill, but when it happens we need to be prepared,” explains Dr. Guangji Hu, a School of Engineering postdoctoral fellow and report co-author. “If a spill is on land, contaminated soil can be removed and remediated off-site, but that simply isn’t feasible on the water.”

Using a lifecycle assessment approach, the researchers developed a framework to help decision-makers effectively manage the waste of an offshore oil spill cleanup. The lifecycle assessment quantifies the environmental impacts associated with products and services at different points of their life cycle.

The lifecycle assessment compared various strategies for treating wastes—including its collection, segregation and sorting, initial treatment, secure transportation of waste materials, resource recovery and the final disposal of all soiled materials—as well as the resulting environmental impacts, particularly on scenarios situated in Western Canada.

Addressing maritime oil spills is a complex process with many variables including type of oil, tides and water composition, explains Saba Saleem, an engineering master’s student with UBCO’s Lifecycle Management Lab.

“Every spill is unique, but with this new tool we can identify the barriers, gaps and bottlenecks in oily waste management during an offshore oil spill response and enable decision makers to make more informed choices,” says Saleem, who is also the study’s lead author.

Several techniques such as mechanical containment and recovery, use of chemical dispersants, and in-situ burning are commonly used depending on various factors, such as oil slick characteristics, environmental conditions and the spill location.

“The aspect of oil spill recovery waste is one part of a response, but the management of this waste is the most complex, expensive and time-consuming component of recovery,” says Dr. Hu.

The findings point to a strategy of combining centrifugation and landfilling as the most suitable remediation approach for low-impact offshore oil spill waste management, but also highlight the potential of other strategies based on the severity of the spill.

“Analyzing these challenging situations in a holistic manner through lifecycle assessment allows us to develop a framework that encompasses nearly every possible scenario of offshore oil waste management,” Dr. Hu adds. “As a result, stakeholders have one more tool to address these spills quickly and effectively.”

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JOURNAL

Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128659 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

ARTICLE TITLE

Evaluation of offshore oil spill response waste management strategies: A lifecycle assessment-based framework