Marine and coastal ecosystems play a critical role in the health of our oceans and our planet, and their delicate balance must be maintained. One of the largest threats to this balance comes from oil spills, which have the potential to cause devastating impacts on these fragile ecosystems and on the communities that depend on them.
When faced with oil spills, countries need as many tools and as much information as possible to help mitigate environmental impacts, identify the source of spills, and evaluate seafood for potential contamination with toxic substances. A side event at the 67th annual IAEA General Conference showcased how the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco support countries in achieving these goals using nuclear and isotopic techniques.
“Each oil spill is different and requires unique sets of questions to be asked,” said Marine Environmental Studies Laboratory Head Philippe Bersuder, speaking at the event. “Using nuclear and isotopic techniques to accurately measure and trace oil spills, we provide Member States with the tools they need to mitigate the damage and assess the risk to human health.”
Crude oils consist of complex mixtures of hydrocarbons and other substances that vary greatly depending on geographical origin and producer. The complexity of these mixtures provides an identifying “fingerprint” that can be used to trace oils spilled into the marine environment back to the source of the pollution – which is critical to enable post-spill mitigation and litigation.
