Preliminary characterization of active substances and paint particles in wastes released during ship’s hull cleaning using high pressure water jet spray

Abstract

During periodic maintenance of ship on a dry dock, pressurized jet water is sprayed for clearing off fouling attached on the ship’s hull. The sprayed water can be contaminated with particles and active substances released from ship’s antifouling paints, and then introduced directly into the marine environment. The active substances can be a source of hazard to marine organisms through continuous release from the paint particles into the environment. This study is to characterize the wastes being released into the marine environment during ship’s hull cleaning by spraying of pressurized jet water. Wastes from various ships’ hull cleaning and adjacent environmental samples (jet water effluent, fouling organisms, paint chips, and adjacent seawater and sediment) were collected for metal and particle analysis. Metal concentrations were determined using ICP/MS. Total suspended solid and particle size distribution in the jet water effluents were also characterized. Change of seawater quality before and after the discharge of the effluent from jet water cleaning into the environment was also monitored. Physical and chemical characterization of wastes from ship’s hull cleaning will give insights to the fate and leaching analyses of active substances for risk assessment of various hull cleaning activities including in-water cleaning.fouling paints, and then introduced directly into the marine environment. The active substances can be a source of hazard to marine organisms through continuous release from the paint particles into the environment. This study is to characterize the wastes being released into the marine environment during ship’s hull cleaning by spraying of pressurized jet water. Wastes from various ships’ hull cleaning and adjacent environmental samples (jet water effluent, fouling organisms, paint chips, and adjacent seawater and sediment) were collected for metal and particle analysis. Metal concentrations were determined using ICP/MS. Total suspended solid and particle size distribution in the jet water effluents were also characterized. Change of seawater quality before and after the discharge of the effluent from jet water cleaning into the environment was also monitored. Physical and chemical characterization of wastes from ship’s hull cleaning will give insights to the fate and leaching analyses of active substances for risk assessment of various hull cleaning activities including in-water cleaning.