A.) ..Oil spill pollution in Tanjung Kukup, Johor, Malaysia..

Tanjung Kukup is located in the strait of Malacca which is in a narrow stretch of water lying between the east coast of Klein Karimun, Sumatra, Indonesia and the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and it is linked to the strait of Singapore at its Southeast end.

Tanjung Kukup is geographically and ideally shadowed by one of the world’s largest mangrove swamp island, which numerous fish - farms bob up and down on the surface of the Kukup Sea. The Tanjung Kukup is an environmental sanctuary, where the earth, sea, plant and animal life exist in complete harmony. This area is home to many species of birds and mangrove dwellers like mangrove crabs, beady - eyed mudskippers and crab - eating macaques.

 


..Source of ocean pollution in Tanjung Kukup, Johor..


1.) Accidental oil.

2.) Chemical Spills


There were around 476 vessel accidents in the straits of Malacca from 1978 to 1994.The sources of marine pollution happen in the normal course of operation of a vessel and of gas platforms or as a consequence of accidents.

  • Vessel accidents are caused by :

-          collision or grounding of ships

-          accidental operational discharges

-          accidents

  • 1997 - The most recent oil spill in the Singapore Strait where a collision of Evoikos and Orap in Global which estimated 29000 tons of oil were spilled.
  • Sept 1992 - tanker Nagasaki Spirit with a cargo of 40000 tons of crude oil collided with container vessel Ocean Blessing in the Malacca Strait and caught fire spilling oil into the sea. It was the potential beaching of oil on Pangkor Island and Langkawi Island.

Most of oil pollution incidents are operational discharges from normal tank operations. It usually happens during

-          Deballastingoil tank and cargo

-          Cleaning

-          Operation of fishing boats and small vessels


..The Effect of Ocean Pollution on Ecosystem in Tanjung Kukup, Johor..

  • In 1993, :

-           Collision between an oil tanker and an LPG carrier one mile from Sentosa Island, a popular tourist resort, resulted in a financial loss estimated at million dollars for the hotel business.

-          Popular tourist destinations in Malaysia such as Pangkor, Penang and Langkawi, the sandy beaches of Port Dickson and Lumut and in Indonesia such as Batam and Bintan are also at risk.

-          The fouling of beaches, coastlines and visitor facilities can have a negative effect on tourism.

  • Most of the mangrove roots in the area were already being covered by oil slicks.
  • Black oil can be easily spotted at the mangrove roots in most places.
  • The mangroves roots effect by the oil slicks.
  • The roots will slowly decay and this will contribute to the death of mangrove tree itself.
  • The mangrove tree is very important to the ecosystem at the area as it helps to protect the coastline and preventing erosion. 
  • Over time, the roots can collect enough debris and mud to extend the edge of the coastline further out.
  • The aquaculture industry of cockles, oysters, and mussels is also particularly vulnerable to damage from oil spills.
  • Oil spill can be spotted at the rocky sea bank and near the seaside walk (leave a bad impression to the tourist visiting the area).

..Controls of Oil Spills..

  • Bio - remediation approach (entails the use of microorganisms to biodegrade/eat up the oils) :

-          Sulfate reducing bacteria which are anaerobic (can survive without oxygen) can be used to clean up oil spills are they are oil consuming bacteria.

 

  • Controlled burning :

-          To clear out oil spillages but it brings about air pollution issues.

 

 

  • Bio-remediation accelerator (entails using chemicals to chemically and physically bond the hydrocarbon oil molecules) :

-          Cause the oil molecules to aggregate and float towards the surface of the water column.

-          Undetected hydrocarbon molecules can be aggregated in this way.

-          The accelerator creates a bloom of indigenous hydrocarbon consuming bacteria that bio degrade the hydrocarbon into water and carbon dioxide. Other times the oil can be separated from the water and burnt, but creates air pollution issues.

 

  • Dispersal agents :

-          Prevents the oil suspension from forming clumps or settling, thereby rapidly dispersing the oil over a large surface area from which water soluble micelles are formed and are rapidly diluted.

 

  • Use of a centrifuge :

-          Sucking up oil and water after which the oil is separated from the water and the water pumped back into the ocean.

-          The separated oil is then broken down / biodegraded in special treatment plants. The downside of this approach is that some oil may be pumped back into the ocean along with the water.

 

 

  • Let nature take its course :

-          Remediation approach and is regarded to as natural attenuation.

..Preventing of Oil spills..

In the United States, Congress passed the Ocean Pollution Act in 1990 which laws include:

  • Emergency response plans : entails that oil transporters/tankers have detailed written plans on what actions they will take if a spill occurs. This plans must have been written out before transporting oil
  • Double hulls: The law states that all ships transporting hulls must have double hulls before 2015. Double hulls reduce the possibility of oil spills during transport by 60% has compared to single hull ships.
  • Spill funds: This law specifies that Oil companies pay certain amounts to the government so that in case of a spill, The government can pay for a clean up.
  • Navigation: The law states that the Coast Guard (they protect the United State's water bodies) must know where oil tankers can navigate through without a spill occurring and enforcing it.

B.) ...Sewage Pollution..

  • Sewage is water mixed with human or animal wastes from residences, buildings, industrial establishments or other places. This water is called wastewater and is conveyed (through a collection system) to waste water treatment facilities to be treated.

..How does sewage become pollution?

  • If the wastewater does not reach the treatment facility and is not treated, the sewage may pollute waterbodies.
  • Interruptions in the flow of wastewater to wastewater treatment facilities can happen for many reasons, including:

 


  1. Weather conditions (heavy rains, snow melt events, storm events)
  2.  Blockages in the sewer system
  3.  Insufficient system capacity
  4.   Structural, mechanical, or electrical failures
  5.   Collapsed or broken sewer pipes
  6. Vandalism

..Classes of Sewage Pollution..

  • Sanitary

-         washing water, food preparation wastes, laundry wastes, and other waste products of normal living    

  • Commercial

-Liquid-carried wastes from stores and service establishments serving the immediate community

  • Industrial

-Wastes that result from an industrial process or the production or manufacture of goods

  • Agricultural

-wastes water from any agricultural activities

  • Surface runoff

-         storm flow or overland flow

 

..What are the effects of sewage ?

  • Disruption to the Cycle of Coral Reefs
  • Depletes Oxygen Content in Water
  • Failure in the Reproductive System of Sea Animals
  • Effect on Food Chain

.. This video show the sewage pipes at the sea ..

..What is the solution to the sewage pollution?

  • Conserve Water
  • Don’t pour fats and oils down the sink. Liquid fats and oils solidify in cold sewer pipes and can build up to cause blockages.
  • Don’t put things into the sewerage system that don’t belong there, such as nappies, sanitary products,  bandages and cotton buds.
  • Never plant a tree over a sewer pipe, as the roots may eventually enter the pipe and grow, causing a blockage.

REFERENCES :

http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2013/Malaysia/RESEN/RESEN-59.pdf. 

http://ecoremediation.blogspot.com/2012/08/oil-spills-causes-effects-and-control.html