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CATASTROPHE OF A TANKER AND ITS TRACES IN THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE STRAIT (ON EXAMPLE OF THE ACCIDENT IN THE KERCH SRTAIT)

Olga Soloveva

Abstract

The problem of oil spills during the marine transportation of oil products is still urgent today. The pollution fate and self-purification of the local ecosystem rates are still insufficiently studied. The article presents data on concentration of chloroform-extractable substances, oil hydrocarbons and the number of anaerobic bacteria in the sea bottom sediments of the Kerch Strait after the vessel?s accident in November 2007 for period of 2007 ? 2009. Chloroform-extractable substances concentration in the bottom sediments of the Kerch strait belonged to low pollution level, which was typical for relatively clean water areas. It was detected the dotty distribution of oil hydrocarbons contamination in the sea bottom sediments and the tendency to its reduction through the time. The ubiquitous presence of microorganisms involved in anaerobic oil hydrocarbons degradation was demonstrated. The quantitative content of bacteria in the sea bottom sediments of the Kerch Strait during 2007 ? 2009 was characterized as follows: the number of the studied bacteria groups varied widely, and there was a reduction in their numbers in compare with 2007 and 2008.

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