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Chemical and microbiological characterization of cruise vessel wastewater discharges under repair conditions

2018; Elsevier BV; Volume: 169; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.11.008

1090-2414

Isaías Vicente-Cera, Javier Moreno‐Andrés, David Amaya-Vías, Miriam Biel-Maeso, Marina G. Pintado‐Herrera, Pablo A. Lara‐Martín, Asunción Acevedo‐Merino, Juan Antonio López Ramírez, Enrique Nebot,

Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry

Cruise ship wastewater discharges are pollution sources towards the marine environment that are poorly characterized. In this study, wastewater samples from cruise ships have been obtained during repair works in a shipyard. Different organic pollutants have been analyzed and their concentrations were similar to those in urban wastewaters for pharmaceuticals and fragrances, but higher for UV filters and PAHs. For the first time, cypermethrin, a pesticide highly toxic towards aquatic species, was found at relevant concentrations (>1 µg L^-1). The faecal microorganisms were for all parameters higher than 10^4 CFU 100 mL^-1, which together with the presence of antibiotic compounds in wastewater (e.g., triclosan), could potentially lead to the generation of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB). The historical position of cruise ships, determined from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), were used to define the time ships were underway, at port, or in repair. From ship's passenger and crew load, and from estimates of discharges the total volume of wastewater produced by these ships (371,000 m^3 year^-1) and the average flow (0.15 ± 0.03 m^3crew^-1 day^-1) were calculated.