Affiliations: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Dalian
Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China; E-mail: [email protected] | Department of Environmental Engineering, SINTEF
Applied Chemistry Institute, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; E-mail: iku@ chem. sintef.
no
Abstract: The oil spill impact analysis (OSIA) software system has been
developed to supply a tool for comprehensive, quantitative environmental impact
assessments resulting from oil spills. In the system, a biological component
evaluates potential effects on exposed organisms based on results from a
physico-chemieal fates component, including the extent and characteristics of
the surface slick, and dissolved and total concentrations of hydrocarbons in
the water column. The component includes a particle-based exposure model for
migratory adult fish populations, a particle-based exposure model for spawning
planktonic organisms (eggs and larvae), and an exposure model for wildlife
species (sea birds or marine mammals). The exposure model for migratory adult
fish populations simulates the migration behaviors of fish populations
migrating to or staying in their feeding areas, over-wintering areas or
spawning areas, and determines the acute effects (mortality) and chronic
accumulation (body burdens) from the dissolved contaminant. The exposure model
for spawning planktonic organisms simulates the release of eggs and larvae,
also as particles, from specific spawning areas during the spawning period, and
determines their potential exposure to contaminants in the water or sediment.
The exposure model for wild species calculates the exposure to surrace oil of
wildlife (bird and marine mammal ) categories inhabiting the contaminated area.
Compared with the earlier models in which all kinds of organisms are assumed
evenly and randomly distributed, the updated biological exposure models can
more realistically estimate potential effects on marine ecological system from
oil spill pollution events.
Keywords: oil spill, biological exposure, acute effects, chronic accumulation, migration of fish, spawning of eggs and larvae, habitat
