Plan

WP 1: Coastal environment: monitoring

Task 1 Sensitivity of coastal ecosystems – comparison of alternative methods

Background and main objective: Environmental sensitivity is a key issue both in environmental risk and impact assessments, as well as in oil spill response planning. There are several methods available for characterizing the sensitivity of coastal ecosystems, including the shoreline. Relevant methods include the IPIECA method, the Russian method, and the Norwegian MOB method.

Approach: Analysis will be conducted for two selected areas in Finnmark and the Kola Peninsula respectively, comprising of a range of different habitats and shoreline types. Then the three different methods will be applied and evaluated. The work will be undertaken in a series of workshops, where experts are involved in a) site selection, b) discussions and applications of methods, and c) comparisons and discussions of results. All data applied in and generated from the project will be shared and available for all participants.

Deliverables: A report describing the results from the work, evaluating the strengths and applicability if the three methods. If geographical information systems (GIS) are applied in the work, GIS data sets will be part of the deliverables.

Participants: APN has established competence in the use of the Norwegian MOB method and will participate in conducting the Norwegian part of the study in cooperation with UiT. MMBI has longstanding experience in environmental monitoring and will be conducting the studies for the Russian part of the project. MMBI will also provide a PhD student for the project, who will also work at the APN office in Tromso.

Task 2 King crab as an indicator species for oil pollution monitoring

Monitoring programmes study marine organisms to detect adverse effects caused by pollutants. In temperate areas, benthic species such as the shore crab and mussels are used as indicators to monitor the environment as they are in direct contact with the sediment where pollutants may accumulate. In the Barents Sea, there is a need to develop monitoring tools adapted to cold water species for environmental pollution, particularly related to oil and gas activities. This work package aims to test the potential of a benthic species found along both the Russian and Norwegian side of the Barents Sea, such as the King crab, as indicator of environmental pollution in the southern Barents Sea. After sampling, King crab or another suitable benthic species will be exposed to crude oil via the food at both the laboratory facilities of PINRO and APN. PINRO will be in charge of testing the bioaccumulation potential of the sampled species and APN will study the response of 6 biomarkers. PINRO has competence on rearing benthic organisms and chemical analysis. AAPN has experience in biomarker analysis. This work package will allow determining the suitability of a benthic species as an indicator for joint environmental monitoring programmes along the coast of Russia and Norway.

Participants: This task seeks to utilise the complementary competences of participating partners to achieve an innovative approach to monitor oil pollution in the Barents Sea. PINRO will sample King Crab and test bioaccumulation potential and APN will study the response of 6 biomarkers, also including a master student. MSTU will in addition provide a PhD student to the project.

WP 2: Technology and innovation: bioremediation

Work-package 2 is an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach to technology and innovation in bioremediation to combat oil-pollution. It will extend knowledge by building on preliminary scientific findings from Russian partners on bioremediation. It is organised as four separate but interconnected tasks. Task 2.1 will review and assess existing practices and knowledge of the use of artificial sorbents to combat pollution. This is followed by further testing and assessments of their use and practical guidelines for the use of vermiculite-based absorbent-catalysts against oil contamination onshore and on water surface. Task 2.2 tests and assesses the suitability of brown algae Hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria (HCO) to combat pollution. Task 2.3 will complement the approaches of 2.1 and 2.2 by introducing molecular techniques to monitor microbial communities used for oil-spill bioremediation. This provides a more fine-tuned approach to understanding processes of bioremediation. Finally, task 2.4 approaches bioremediation from the aspect of factors that may affect performance. This includes analysis of their reliability and maintainability and their suitability for established contingency planning. As such, work-package 2 will contribute by taking several steps in developing scientific knowledge on bioremediation and its suitability to combat pollution in the Arctic. This will require the coordination of efforts between contributing participants within and between activities.

Task 3 Artificial sorbents:

The use of artificial sorbents as matrices for the bioremediation of oil contaminated soils. This work-package will assess the use of domestic raw materials (vermiculite and alike) in combination with plants for bioremediation purposes. First, it will make a review of existing practices on the use of artificial sorbents from the range which has already been tested in Russia. Then assess their suitability as dispersants according to international standards. A selection of suitable plants with nutrient rich root exudates for stimulation of rhizospheric microbiota will be conducted. We will select indigenous microorganisms for inoculation of sorbents which enhance the oil absorbing capacity in Arctic climates.  We aim also to identify optimal conditions for microbiota immobilisation on sorbents. This is followed by field trials of the “sorbent-plant-rhizospheric micribiota” complexes as remediation media of oil contaminated soils. Practical guidelines for the use of vermiculite-based absorbent-catalysts will be developed for the environmentally safe treatment of oil contamination in soils, onshore and on water surface, particularly in relation to the cold climate.

Participants: INEP will be conducting assessments and tests on artificial sorbents.

Task 4 Algae-based bioremediation:

The role of biological factors involved in oil-spill remediation in marine waters is not well studied. Hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria (HCO) play a major role in this process. According to preliminary findings, certain species of brown algae appear highly tolerant to oil-spills and contribute to hydrocarbon degradation. It is therefore suggested that HCO bacteria in natural symbiotic association with brown algae are involved in this process. This work-package will investigate the possibility of using brown algae-HCO bacterial associations in bioremediation of oil polluted waters in the Barents Sea. It will assess the condition of macroalgae in relation to the degree of pollution at selected sampling points. Laboratory trials will be conducted to investigate the role of the Fucus spp. in oil degradation and to assess the importance of the symbiotic HCO bacteria in enhanced ability to break down hydrocarbons. This will lay the scientific ground for a pilot algal plantation-biofilter to be tested for the bioremediation of coastal waters in Norway and East-Murman.

Participants: this activity, assessments and tests, will be based on close collaboration between MMBI and MSTU, with advisory support from APN.

Task 5 Development of molecular tools for monitoring of microbial communities used for oil-spill bioremediation.

Microbial communities, both indigenous and applied as inoculate, have been widely tested as major agents for crude oil biodegradation. A substantial knowledge on diversity, composition and community succession in relation to use of artificial sorbents and algae as matrices has been accumulated by our Russian partners. However, the methods used for such a monitoring are based on traditional microbiological methods which are time and labour consuming. We aim to complement this knowledge by introducing molecular techniques, aiming to point out key molecular markers for functional genes involved in hydrocarbon degradation in the metagenomes of such communities. The phylogenetic markers and individual genome fingerprint techniques will be introduced in order to describe the dynamics of the microbial population and pinpoint input from defined phylogenetic groups through the processes of oil degradation. Implementation of such techniques is necessary for a quick and culture independent monitoring.

Participants: The UiT, has to offer a wide variety of relevant methods for this activity. This will be implemented in cooperation with MSTU.

Task 6 Risk, reliability and maintainability analysis of Artificial sorbents and Algae-based bioremediation.

In order to apply new environmental technologies to combat oil-spills, a clear understanding of factors affecting their performance is needed. This includes operation and maintenance strategies for applying new technologies under different natural conditions. The aim of this work-package is to develop a scientific foundation and recommendations for implementing cost-effective operation and maintenance strategies based on selected local conditions. To this end, the work-package will provide 1) a mapping and an assessment of factors that may affect the performance of artificial sorbents and algae-based bioremediation, 2) a reliability and maintainability analysis of such technologies; and 3) suitability analysis of new technologies in contingency planning, through performing risk and consequence analysis.

Participants: LTU and UIT will cooperate on this activity, a field in which they have longstanding expertise.

WP 3: Education

Work-package 3 consists of a step-by-step and sequential approach to developing both 1) academic knowledge regarding environmental management and, 2) academic cooperation between universities in the Kolarctic programme area. The activities will develop through workshops, planning both the academic content and institutional procedures of developing exchange and education programmes. All University partners will collaborate in this work-package: UIT, MSHU, MSTU, NARFU, LTU.

Task 7 Exchange of lecturers for master courses in ‘Safety and environmental management’

The CETIA partners develop agreements to exchange lecturers and courses to be provided as optional courses in established study programs in the field of safety and environmental management. The courses will be conducted in English. Agreements to be finalised by the autumn of 2012

Task 8 Develop curriculum and study plan for joint master programme in ‘Environmental Management in the Arctic’

The CETIA University-partners will in cooperation develop a curriculum and study plan for a joint international master programme in ‘Environmental Management in the Arctic’. The courses of the programme will be taught in English and be based on E-learning. The programme will be multi-disciplinary including courses in natural science, engineering, law and organisational science. The programme will be based on existing science and academic courses offered at the partner-institutions. All participating Universities have access to technical facilities providing for courses based on E-learning. The activity will requires the planning of an integrated study programme based on the participating universities competence. The course modules and programmes must be accepted at the respective universities. The study programme and curriculum will be finalised by the autumn of 2013.