Kimya
1991
UK
Europe
Bulk
HNS Spilt
Sunflower oilLiquid
-
Amount Spilt (T)1500
CAS Number-
-
Fp
Physical Behaviour (SEBC code)
-
Y
Pollution Category (MARPOL Annex 2)
-
3
Class according to IMDG code
-
-
Subsidiary Risk Class according to IMDG code
-
Classification as Marine Pollutant
-
ii, iii
HNS Classification (2010 HNS Convention)
Fate and weathering facts observed/reported
Lost of sunflower oil over a period of 6 to 9 months from 6 January 1991. In autumn 1991, people started noticing strange things, looking like “chewing gum balls” on the beaches and high mussel mortality was reported. Scientific tests were carried out, revealing that molecules of sunflower oil had polymerised with wave action both in seawater and in the intertidal region to form relatively intractable products (Mudge, 1997). Once on the beaches, the oil and sand formed impermeable aggregates, under which shoreline species were prisoners. This seriously affected biodiversity. Mussels died by suffocation within 2 weeks after being in contact with the sunflower oil. Laboratory testing showed that their internal shell lost its nacre lining and that their external shell became chalky with the oil. Almost 6 years later, concrete-like aggregates of sand remained on the beaches. Muge et al. (1993) showed that certain fatty acids of sunflower oil (linoleic, oleic and palmitic) accumulated in the flesh of mussels in a 3 km radius around the wreck. However, almost 6 years after the spillage oil-aggregates were still visible.