Evaluation of in-situ burn efficiency for emerging oil contaminants in freshwater ice condition

<jats:p>In-situ burning (ISB) is an oil spill response strategy used to rapidly remove oil from the water’s surface by igniting and burning the spilled oil. Much of the existing ISB research focuses on conventional crude oils and temperate climates, resulting in critical knowledge gaps for emerging oil contaminants and cold regions environments. The US Coast Guard (USCG) must be prepared to effectively respond to oil spills in the Great Lakes, which experience significant ice cover during winter months and frequent transportation of new oil contaminants. This project addressed these needs by evaluating winter ISB efficiency and oil residue properties for emerging contaminants (marine diesel, No. 6 very low sulfur fuel oil [VLSFO], and natural ester dielectric fluid) in open freshwater and broken ice conditions. Results from these small-scale (0.25 m2 surface area; 0.5, 1, and 5 cm oil thickness) ISBs demonstrate effective burning for No. 6 VLSFO and marine diesel in open water and broken ice conditions. Dielectric fluid results indicate ignition and burn potential but with significantly less oil volume removed from the slicks.</jats:p>