Browsing by Author "Dafforn, KA"

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    Ecotoxicological effects of decommissioning offshore petroleum infrastructure: a systematic review
    (Taylor & Francis, 2021-05-07) MacIntosh, A; Dafforn, KA; Penrose, B; Chariton, AA; Cresswell, T
    Successful decommissioning of subsea oil and gas infrastructure requires a safe and effective approach to assess and manage waste products. These products, often present as scale on internals of pipelines, include naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and trace metals. Understanding the potential effects of these contaminants on marine fauna is crucial to managing global decommissioning. This review is composed of two aspects: 1) a systematic review was conducted to synthesize literature on all contaminants associated with decommissioned offshore structures and the effects of NORM contaminants on marine organisms; 2) a critical review of current environmental regulations for decommissioning and characterization of petroleum scale and NORM components. Studies defining the chemical and radiological contaminants associated with decommissioned structures were very limited. The main source of contaminants was identified from offshore platforms, with none from subsea structures. Only three studies measured variable chemical effects of radium to organisms from scale materials in subsea oil and gas infrastructure. No studies measured effects on organisms from other NORM, such as lead-210 and polonium-210. Currently, there are no international regulations on subsea pipeline closure, with NORM being underreported and not addressed in environmental impact assessments. This review highlights research gaps from environmental monitoring and characterization of NORM associated with decommissioned structures. Key recommendations for future research include characterizing NORM scale and assessing effects of scale to marine organisms through direct organism exposure experiments. This review emphasizes the need to incorporate ecotoxicology into environmental risk assessment for offshore petroleum decommissioning. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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    Towards sustainable environmental quality: priority research questions for the Australasian region of Oceania
    (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2019-07-05) Gaw, S; Harford, A; Pettigrove, VJ; Sevicke-Jones, G; Manning, T; Ataria, J; Cresswell, T; Dafforn, KA; Leusch, FDL; Moggridge, B; Cameron, M; Chapman, J; Coates, G; Colville, A; Death, C; Hageman, K; Hassell, KL; Hoak, M; Gadd, JB; Jolley, DF; Karami, A; Kotzakoulakis, K; Lim, R; McRae, N; Metzeling, L; Mooney, T; Myers, J; Pearson, A; Saaristo, M; Sharley, D; Stuthe, J; Sutherland, O; Thomas, O; Tremblay, L; Wood, W; Boxall, ABA; Rudd, MA; Brooks, BW
    Environmental challenges persist across the world, including the Australasian region of Oceania, where biodiversity hotspots and unique ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are common. These systems are routinely affected by multiple stressors from anthropogenic activities, and increasingly influenced by global megatrends (e.g., the food–energy–water nexus, demographic transitions to cities) and climate change. Here we report priority research questions from the Global Horizon Scanning Project, which aimed to identify, prioritize, and advance environmental quality research needs from an Australasian perspective, within a global context. We employed a transparent and inclusive process of soliciting key questions from Australasian members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Following submission of 78 questions, 20 priority research questions were identified during an expert workshop in Nelson, New Zealand. These research questions covered a range of issues of global relevance, including research needed to more closely integrate ecotoxicology and ecology for the protection of ecosystems, increase flexibility for prioritizing chemical substances currently in commerce, understand the impacts of complex mixtures and multiple stressors, and define environmental quality and ecosystem integrity of temporary waters. Some questions have specific relevance to Australasia, particularly the uncertainties associated with using toxicity data from exotic species to protect unique indigenous species. Several related priority questions deal with the theme of how widely international ecotoxicological data and databases can be applied to regional ecosystems. Other timely questions, which focus on improving predictive chemistry and toxicology tools and techniques, will be important to answer several of the priority questions identified here. Another important question raised was how to protect local cultural and social values and maintain indigenous engagement during problem formulation and identification of ecosystem protection goals. Addressing these questions will be challenging, but doing so promises to advance environmental sustainability in Oceania and globally. © 2019 The Authors